Strike on trains at Christmas: SNCF president Jean-Pierre Farandou puts pressure on railway workers. He invites them to “stay on the side of the French”.
What is remarkable about the SNCF is in fact its culture of punctuality. Things are regulated there with the rigor and precision that make the reputation of Swiss watchmaking. I am not talking here about respecting train departure and arrival times, obviously, but about the calendar regularity with which strike notices fall. Every Christmas has its own. Each of the great summer transhumances has their own.
Tradition is not always good
This year 2024 is no exception to tradition. A notice of an indefinite strike, renewable from Wednesday December 11, was issued at the initiative of the inter-union grouping the CGT railway workers, UNSA railway, Sud Rail and CFDT Cheminots. With a little warm-up tour for Thursday this week. An appetizer, in a way.
In question, the disappearance of Fret SNCF from January 1, 2025, the opening to competition, a possible insufficient investment in the network. As you can imagine, the fact that the period coincides with the opening of mandatory annual salary negotiations is only an unfortunate coincidence. “Our desire is not to blackmail”assures Thierry Nier, general secretary of the CGT railway workers federation. Far from us such a thought, come on!
Also read, Stéphane Germain: We're going into the wall, are you coming?
Faced with the prospect of this new blockage, of these new human tides drifting in the halls and on the station platforms, Jean-Pierre Farandou, the PGG of the SNCF, is attempting a dissuasion operation. In the columns of La Tribune Sundayhe calls “in the sense of the responsibility of railway workers”. “Stay on the side of the French” he exhorts them. Air sung many times, rarely with success. In a period as complicated as the one we are going through, where difficulties accumulate, he adds, “the French would not understand if they were prevented from joining their families for the end of year celebrations”. Users who, moreover, could well be tempted at the end to issue a notice of limited patience, something like that, considering that this time the cup is full. We'll see.
Greviculture
It will undoubtedly take more for these left-wing unions to renounce their sacrosanct “greviculture”, to use Marine Le Pen's expression. It will also probably take more than the arguments of reason presented by Jean-Pierre Farandou. With the reform, imposed by the European Commission in agreement with the French government, “the freight activity would be in much better economic shape than before, he pleads, since we will benefit from additional state aid to the sector of 30 million per year. Given the country's budgetary difficulties, this is a strong sign. Not to mention that the additional contribution for the retirement of transferred railway workers will continue to be covered at an annual rate of 20 million by the SNCF.
Additionally, the CEO committed to “find a place in the group for the five hundred post disappearances”. Why exactly? a teasing mind might ask.
Also read, by the same author: Childish and indecent, the hot potato move
Finally, President Farandou does not fail to suggest that at the SNCF there is often a sort of Christmas before Christmas. He thus recalls that salaries increased by 17% (21% for the lowest) between 2022 and 2024 for inflation at 13%, that the basic remuneration in the company is 10% higher than the minimum wage, that 17,100 recruitments were carried out in two years and that if, for six consecutive semesters, the accounts have been green and the company is a beneficiary, each day of strike costs some 20 million euros. When we know that a new train is worth 35 million, we quickly calculate that every two days of blockage we miss an entire train. And even a few more wagons. Great work, really…
Taking up the proposal of senators Marseille (centrist) and Tabarot (LR), Éric Ciotti pleads for an Italian-style system prohibiting transport strikes during certain periods, end-of-year celebrations, major departures… Mr. Attal, who hears without doubt securing a good place in the TGV Élysée terminus in 2027, declared himself resolutely against. He sees this as a bias of non-constitutionality, the right to strike being enshrined in the French Constitution. The right to strike without a doubt. I am not absolutely convinced of the right to strike with hostage taking. Because what else is it really about? One day, politicians will have to have the courage to approach the problem from this angle. In my humble opinion, it's about time.
Causeur lives only through its readers, this is the only guarantee of its independence.
To support us, buy Causeur on newsstands or subscribe!
