Two SNCF unions continue to call for strike movements on May 5 and around the May 8 bridge. Some even mention a “dark week” in the absence of new negotiations. The minister of Transport, however, considers non -legitimate demands.
The threat of a strike in transport during May bridges intensified. The CGT-Cheminots, the majority Union of the sector, launched an appeal to the strike from May 5 for controllers and drivers. Ile -de -France sections of the CGT have already mentioned a “dark week” for rail traffic, deeming an extension of the strike movement possible until May 8 and the following days.
The threat already places on the bridge of May 8 since the Sud-Rail union called, before the CGT, to a strike of the controllers for three days, on 9, May 10 and 11, and a strike of drivers on May 7, the day before the holiday and therefore possible date of many weekend departures. This call for strike was supported by the National ASCT collective, an informal group of controllers who was initiated by very followed strikes in December 2022 and February 2024, which advanced “supporting the mobilization dates” proposed by Sud-Rail. The mobilizations could therefore last all week from the May 8 bridge.
The CGT-Cheminots calls for an increase and overhaul of the “traction” bonus for drivers and the work premium for controllers, “important remuneration elements”. The union also criticizes the use of new tools for controllers who “participate in the degradation of relations between operators and chiefs’ heads” with last -minute schedule changes, which were very limited according to the management of the SNCF. Sud-Rail denounces, for its part, too many planning changes at the last minute, which he said generates an poorly managed organization. The union calls for a reassessment of wages, with at least one passage of level every three years against four today, as well as an increase of 100 euros per month of the work bonus. He also wants the “traction” bonus to be maintained in the event of sick leave.
Traffic disturbed all week of May 5?
Train traffic could be disrupted for several days, if negotiations with management do not allow the strike notice to be removed. The disturbances will especially depend on the magnitude of the mobilization, but the risk is accentuated with the call of the CGT-Cheminots.
The SNCF says it is “very confident” about its ability to prevent travelers from being impacted. “We made very concrete advances on the leave, rest, order,” said SNCF travelers CEO, Christophe Fanichet, on France Inter on Saturday, April 5, on Saturday April 5 on SNCF Travelers. “I am very confident, it will allow all French people to travel in serenity in the coming weeks,” he said. The arrival of the competition adds to the fact that the SNCF cannot “afford a strike”. As a appeal, it could notably use internal agents trained to replace missing controllers and focus on the most frequented axes during this period.
-“Not legitimate” claims for the Minister of Transport
SNCF travelers CEO, Christophe Fanichet, assured the Parisian Take “all the notice very seriously” and “do everything so that the French travel normally”. He says he is “confident” and believes that “the only way possible to avoid a social conflict is social dialogue, with listening and responsibility on the side of management as unions”. He indicated a few days earlier on franceinfo That “all trade union organizations have been received, concrete advances were made by management”.
According to The ParisianSNCF is committed to the issue of schedules to give visibility of six months on rest days or even prevent its controllers when changes in their start of day schedules exceed three quarters of an hour. However, it does not intend to access the request on the levels and does not seem to want to give in to wage demands. The CEO also recalled the efforts made by the company during previous negotiations: “We made the job, we made all our commitments made in 2022 on the legitimate demands” of the controllers and “for 2025, I recall that we negotiated at the end of last year a general increase of 2.2 %, more than inflation”.
For his part, the Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, considers that the claims of the controllers are “not legitimate”. These SNCF employees are “not the most ill-treated within the SNCF”, he said on Europe 1 on Friday April 18: “There are staff for whom the task and arduousness are much greater than for controllers who are not the least privileged”. Words that throw oil on fire for unions that require the opening of negotiations.
13:51 – “It’s starting to do well!” : the minister annoyed by threats of strikes at the SNCF
While the South-Rail and CGT-Cheminots unions continue to call a strike from May 5 and around the May 8 bridge for controllers and drivers, the Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, is annoyed. He estimates on Europe 1/CNews, this Friday, April 18, that certain claims “are not legitimate” and “seemed excessive”. Opposing the idea of a strike affecting journeys as a long weekend approaches, he recalls his desire to limit the right to strike over certain periods. “It’s starting to do well!” he believes. But evoking this idea amounts to throwing oil on fire for several SNCF unions.
04/15/25 – 12:06 – Many impacted travelers?
During the first day of opening sales for Easter and May bridges, 1.15 million tickets had been sold, according to SNCF Connect. Travelers should therefore be numerous during the week of May 8, where unions called for the strike of SNCF drivers and controllers. Seven days, from May 5 to 11, are therefore likely to be impacted. However, it is necessary to wait to see if the negotiations between management and unions are evolving to know the extent of the movement. Sud-Rail said that management has until May 4 to “respond favorably to its claims”. If the social movement is maintained and is found to be important, the tickets are generally exchangeable and/or refundable. This requires after being able to adapt and find another solution.
04/14/25 – 13:25 – A “dark week” from Monday May 5?
The CGT-Cheminots called, in a press release, to a renewable strike of SNCF drivers and controllers from Monday, May 5. Sud-Rail had done the same for May 7, 9, 10 and 11. The movement therefore grows and traffic could be disturbed. The Ile -de -France sections of the CGT already speak of a “dark week” in transport in the Paris region. The management of SNCF travelers tempers by explaining that “time is in social dialogue”. “This is the only possible way,” she adds to AFP. Union organizations have been received in recent days.
