France: labor strike disrupts a third of rail transport

First modification: 07/06/2022 – 19:47

With two days to go before the summer holidays begin and in times of economic and political instability, French travelers are experiencing delays and cancellations of their trips, both by land and by air.

To the recent strikes of workers in the air and energy sector in the Gallic country was added this Wednesday, July 6, that of the employees of the railway public service. They all have a common grievance: the high cost of living is eating away at their salary.

With the participation of three of the four main unions in the national railway company, SNCF, the one-day strike led to the cancellation of almost a third of intercity and regional train services on Wednesday.

Commuter trains in and out of Paris were also affected, although international lines, including Eurostar trains to London and Thalys to Brussels, will operate as normal, according to France’s state operator.

The SNCF advised people to cancel or postpone their trips and to work from home when possible, a difficult suggestion for the thousands of travelers who plan to start their summer holidays this weekend.

Railway workers ask for better wages to face inflation

“When you go to the supermarket, when you fill up the tank, when you have to pay the bills, that’s where it’s hard,” said Fabien Villedieu, a train conductor and spokesman for the SUD-Rail union.

“And when your salary is frozen, you worry about it every day,” he added.

Railroad unions are demanding wages be adjusted for inflation and the minimum wage raised, as well as higher bonuses to offset price increases. French inflation reached an all-time high of 6.5% annually in June, driven by a sharp rise in food and energy prices.

The tense social climate is a challenge for President Emmanuel Macron, whose centrist alliance lost an outright majority in parliament last month after voters punished him for not listening to their complaints.

With Reuters and AP