Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of October 19, 2026, from the General Labor Directorate, registering and publishing the Collective Agreement of Unidad Editorial, SA |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | November 5, 2026 |
| Entry into force | January 1, 2026 (retroactive effects) |
| Validity | Until June 30, 2028 |
| Signatories | Unidad Editorial, SA and CCOO (signed July 30, 2026) |
| Territorial scope | All work centers in national territory |
| Category | Labor Legislation |
| Period | 2026–2028 |
The General Labor Directorate registered and published on November 5, 2026 the new collective agreement of Unidad Editorial, SA, signed on July 30, 2026 between the company and CCOO. Although the BOE publication is from November, the effects are retroactive to January 1, 2026, which requires reviewing possible retroactive adjustments to working conditions applied from that date.
The agreement regulates labor relations in all work centers of Unidad Editorial in national territory, including newsrooms and central services linked to El Mundo and other group publications.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement sets the minimum working conditions applicable to Unidad Editorial, SA staff. Its most relevant structural elements are:
- Validity: from January 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028.
- Personal scope: virtually the entire workforce, with express exclusions (see section "Who does it affect?").
- Minimum conditions: what is agreed in the agreement operates as a floor. The more favorable individual conditions already acquired by each worker are respected and prevail over the agreement.
- Joint Commission: a 6-member body is created with functions of interpretation, supervision and application of the agreement, with capacity to mediate in collective conflicts through SIMA (Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service).
- Automatic renewal: if neither party denounces the agreement, it is automatically renewed annually.
- Notice period: notice must be given at least one month in advance of the expiration date.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date of signature | July 30, 2026 |
| Signing parties | Unidad Editorial, SA and CCOO |
| Validity | January 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028 |
| Joint Commission | 6 members |
| Mediation body | SIMA |
| Minimum notice period | 1 month before expiration |
| Without notice | Automatic annual renewal |
Economic and operational impact
The immediate impact for the HR department and management of Unidad Editorial is concentrated in three areas:
- Retroactivity from January 2026: any agreed condition that improves the previous situation must be applied from January 1, 2026, which may generate arrears or payroll adjustments that must be settled.
- Respect for more favorable conditions: the agreement establishes a floor, not a ceiling. Workers who already had superior conditions (salary, working hours, benefits) retain them entirely. This requires an updated map of individual conditions for each employee.
- Management of the Joint Commission: the company must designate its representatives in the 6-member body and provide it with operational capacity to resolve application questions and prevent conflicts from escalating to SIMA or judicial proceedings.
- Planning until June 2028: the defined validity allows planning personnel policy with a clear horizon, although automatic renewal requires marking the notice period on the calendar (one month before June 30, 2028, that is, before May 31, 2028).
Who does it affect?
The agreement applies to virtually the entire workforce of Unidad Editorial, SA in its work centers in national territory. The following are expressly excluded:
- Executives of group 0
- Contractor personnel
- Sporadic collaborators
- Self-employed professionals
The rest of the workforce —journalists, technical staff, administrative personnel and other categories not included in the previous exclusions— is subject to the conditions of the agreement in all national centers of the group (newsrooms, central services and other facilities).
Practical example
A reporter at El Mundo with a permanent contract who, before the agreement was signed, had a recognized reduced working day or salary supplement above what the agreement now sets, retains that more favorable condition entirely: the agreement cannot worsen it.
On the other hand, if that same reporter received conditions below the minimums now established by the agreement, the company must regularize their situation with retroactive effects to January 1, 2026, paying the corresponding differences for the months already elapsed from that date until effective regularization.
Regarding the Joint Commission: if a discrepancy arises over the interpretation of an agreement clause —for example, regarding the calculation of overtime hours in a regional office— either party may raise the question to the 6-member Joint Commission before resorting to external bodies such as SIMA.
What should companies do now?
- Review retroactivity from January 1, 2026: identify if any agreement condition exceeds what was being applied and calculate pending arrears to be settled.
- Map more favorable individual conditions: prepare an inventory by employee to ensure no worker loses already consolidated rights.
- Verify exclusions: confirm which workers fall outside the scope of the agreement (group 0 executives, contractor personnel, sporadic collaborators and self-employed professionals) and document it.
- Establish the Joint Commission: designate the company's representatives in the 6-member body and establish the internal protocol for raising questions or conflicts.
- Mark the notice period: if the company or workers' representatives wish not to renew the agreement beyond June 30, 2028, notice must be given with at least one month's notice, that is, before May 31, 2028.
- Communicate with staff: inform affected workers about the entry into force, the content of the agreement and available consultation channels (Joint Commission, SIMA).
Frequently asked questions
When does the Unidad Editorial collective agreement come into force?
The agreement has effects from January 1, 2026, although it was signed on July 30, 2026 and published in the BOE on November 5, 2026. Retroactivity means that any agreed improvement must be applied from that initial date.
Until when is the Unidad Editorial agreement valid?
Validity extends until June 30, 2028. If neither party denounces it with at least one month's notice (before May 31, 2028), the agreement is automatically renewed for annual periods.
Who is excluded from the Unidad Editorial collective agreement?
Outside the scope of the agreement are: group 0 executives, contractor personnel, sporadic collaborators and self-employed professionals. The rest of the workforce in national centers is included.
What is the Joint Commission of the agreement and how many members does it have?
It is the body created by the agreement to interpret, supervise and apply its clauses. It is composed of 6 members and has capacity to mediate in collective conflicts through SIMA (Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service), before conflicts reach judicial proceedings.
Can the agreement worsen the conditions a worker already had?
No. The conditions agreed in the agreement are minimum. The more favorable individual conditions already acquired by each worker prevail over the agreement and cannot be reduced by it.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-23240
