Protest in Mérida in Support of SEPE Employee Punished for Serving Walk-ins. About a hundred people gathered outside the SEPE office in Mérida demanding the case against an employee, who served citizens without appointments, be dropped. The incident sparked public outcry and raised questions about the appointment system.
A conflict has erupted in Mérida surrounding an employee of the local SEPE office: disciplinary proceedings against Juan Carlos Nieto, who has worked at the agency for 37 years, have sparked broad support among city residents. Around a hundred people gathered outside the employment office to protest the official’s punishment for assisting citizens without prior appointments. The demonstration was organized by the Campamento Dignidad movement and the Sindicato 25 de Marzo union.
Speaking at the rally, Nieto emphasized that he was not acting on personal initiative but was fulfilling his duties by helping those unable to access services due to appointment difficulties. He described the disciplinary case as a serious ordeal for himself and his family. The case materials cite accusations of serious violations—from serving people without appointments to issuing certificates required for social benefits. The employee denies the allegations, insisting he acted within the law, which allows the use of documents already held by other government agencies.
According to Nieto, the problem is related to staff shortages and an overloaded system: over several years, the office staff was almost halved, and the introduction of a single service district only worsened the situation. Now, citizens have to wait weeks for an appointment, which is especially critical for those who urgently need to process benefits or subsidies. During his speech, the official noted that even on the day of the initiative, some employees were left without work due to a lack of scheduled visitors, despite the fact that many people needed assistance.
The issue of whether mandatory appointments are appropriate for accessing public services is also being discussed at the national level: recently, Congress approved an initiative to ease this requirement. Nieto believes that the appointment system should facilitate access rather than become a barrier for citizens. The Ministry of Labor, for its part, stated that the investigation concerns not only walk-in admissions, but also other aspects which cannot be disclosed due to official secrecy. A final decision will be made by SEPE's central administration.
The situation in Merida is reminiscent of other cases where the actions of officials sparked public outcry and union support. For example, in Valencia, the SRP union spoke out against the use of force on a teacher during a protest, which also became a topic of public debate — more on this can be found in the report about the union's response to the incident with the teacher in Valencia.
For reference: SEPE is the key agency for employment issues and benefit payments in Spain. In recent years, the appointment booking system has become mandatory for most consultations, which, according to several organizations, has made it harder for vulnerable groups to access services. The question of reforming this practice remains relevant amid staff reductions and increasing workloads for public services.
