Paris (AFP)

The rail industry was suspended from a decision by SUD-Rail: on Tuesday, the union decided to oppose an agreement on the trades and wages of rail, thus preventing the application of a text deemed "not sufficiently protective" to the staff of a sector shaken by the extension of competition.

Negotiated for over two years by the unions with the Union of public and railway transport (UTP), the employers of the sector, this agreement is invalidated in a tense context at the SNCF. Long strike in the spring of 2018 against the railway reform, serial work stoppages in the fall of 2019, more than 50 days of strike in December and January against the pension reform ... And on January 1: end of hiring with the statute of railwayman.

Before SUD-Rail, the CGT and FO had already asserted their right to oppose the branch agreement on wages. But this text, signed by Unsa and the CFDT, could only be invalidated with the support of SUD-Rail, a branch agreement being blocked only if unions with more than 50% representativeness oppose.

Consulted, "the members and local SUD-Rail structures have mostly decided to reject this agreement and assert the right of opposition of the SUD-Rail federation on the grounds that the content did not guarantee these progress values we defend, "the union said in a statement.

Denouncing a text "not sufficiently protective against social dumping" between competing companies, SUD-Rail "demands the rapid reopening of negotiations to establish a high-level social framework". "There was a debate because the stakes are not negligible," Fabien Dumas, one of the federal secretaries of SUD-Rail, told AFP.

Very active in recent days on social networks to defend a text which it described as "the heart of the reactor" of the national collective agreement (CCN) railway under construction, the CFDT-Cheminots praised the "employee protections" included in the agreement. To invalidate it would be "a very bad blow for railway workers", she said, because "in the end", private companies "will be able to compete more easily with SNCF".

The Unsa rail company welcomed a text "guaranteeing new rights for all rail employees" (over 150,000 people), those of the SNCF - with or without railway worker status - and those of other operators (Transdev, Arriva ...). By opposing it, "CGT, SOUTH and FO say yes to the lowest social," accused Unsa Tuesday.

- "Different scenarios" -

Faced with the signatory reformers, the protesters' camp canceled a "classifications and remuneration" agreement listing 144 jobs (station manager, driver, etc.), fixing minimum wages, a branch seniority bonus or allowances for night work.

Provisions applicable in all companies in a sector which is finally opening up to competition with the gradual cessation - initiated in December - of the SNCF monopoly on national passenger transport.

Now, the UTP will "examine different possible scenarios during its board of directors on Thursday," said AFP its general delegate, Claude Faucher.

The director of human resources of SNCF, the main employer in the sector, had praised a text of "high quality" on Friday. François Nogué saw in it "a safety net for employees", who could be transferred from one company to another in a sector that has become competitive.

Hostile to the agreement, the CGT-Cheminots saw on the contrary "a social regression" compared to "what already exists at SNCF and in private railway companies". Pointing to "very low wages", "unrecognized diplomas" or "reduced seniority", the first union in the sector calls for "the reopening of negotiations".

For FO-Cheminots, the text could only lead to "a deterioration in the situation of employees".

"The government can decide to reopen negotiations", under his leadership or under the aegis of the UTP, said Philippe Herbeck, secretary general of FO-Cheminots. Another option: "copy and paste the agreement" into an order, which "would enhance the CFDT-Unsa pole with which he often works".

© 2020 AFP