Fagforbundet and Center Party oppose proposed cuts to Posten

The Norwegian trade union Fagforbundet and the Center Party (Senterpartiet) are opposing proposed budget cuts to Posten, the national postal service. The government's budget proposal for next year suggests a 24 percent reduction in funding, bringing Posten's budget to 1.52 billion NOK.

Under the proposed transition plan, mail delivery would be reduced from the current 2.5 days per week to a standard of one day per week starting July 1, 2027. This move is intended to comply with EU competition regulations via the EEA agreement, which limits state aid and has ended Posten's monopoly on mail delivery.

Fagforbundet has proposed a 500 million NOK rescue package to mitigate the impact of these cuts. The union seeks direct support for Saturday newspaper delivery in rural areas and a national doorstep service for the elderly. Union leader Helene Harsvik Skeibrok noted that while the package might not save all 2,000 potentially affected jobs, it would make the transition less severe.

Center Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum criticized the proposal as a “brutal” dismantling of fundamental national infrastructure, warning it could signal the end of a national postal service.