A national strike by rail workers is taking place on Tuesday, January 13, in France, but the impact on train traffic is expected to be limited, according to information provided by SNCF.
The French railway company has announced that, as part of the industrial action called by the CGT-Cheminots and SUD-Rail unions, TGV high-speed trains (InOui and Ouigo) and Intercités trains will run as normal, without significant disruption, on both domestic and international routes.
As for regional transport, traffic will be “almost normal”, with disruptions limited to certain lines in the Île-de-France and Occitanie regions.
The strike is taking place against the backdrop of annual wage negotiations
The union action coincides with the start of the mandatory annual negotiations (NAO) between SNCF management and employee representatives. Although the company’s management granted a bonus of EUR 400 in December and extended some social agreements, the unions consider the measures to be insufficient.
SUD-Rail is demanding a wage increase of EUR 400 per month for all employees, as well as the introduction of a standardized 13th month’s salary, estimating the cost of these measures at EUR 1.2 billion, an amount it considers sustainable in the context of expected profits of around EUR 2 billion for the rail operator in 2025.
For its part, CGT-Cheminots is demanding a 12% pay rise, the granting of a 13th month’s salary for all employees, and improvements in working conditions and recruitment policies.
SNCF management claims that railway workers’ wages have increased by 16% over the last three years, and that at least 95% of employees have benefited from increases of 14% or more, while cumulative inflation over the same period was 8.1%. However, the unions dispute these figures, claiming that wage growth has been artificially capped.
Recommendations for travelers
SNCF asks passengers to check their journeys through the company’s official channels, including the SNCF Connect platform.
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