Paris (AFP)

The RATP and SNCF expected Friday a "reduced offer" of transport next week because of the coronavirus because some of their staff will not be able to work, in particular to stay at home looking after their children, according to the two groups.

At RATP, "we are finalizing the census of staff with or without children to keep" at home and those "eligible or not for teleworking," said a spokesman for AFP.

The Paris transport authority "will communicate this weekend" on the traffic that can be provided next week, he added. "There will be a reduced offer compared to normal, with adaptations, either of frequency" of metros, RER, bus or trams, "or a prioritization on certain lines," he said.

But the RATP "expects at the same time, whatever the transport plan in place, a drop in attendance. It will be a reduced supply for a reduced demand," said the spokesman for the authority.

SNCF, which also plans to announce traffic changes this weekend, has also launched "a census of vulnerable colleagues and those who have no choice but to stay at home to babysit "said a spokesperson.

"If there are fewer staff, there will be fewer trains. The mechanics are known. This logic is fairly close to that of the strike. The first reason will be the impact of the closure of schools and guards And then, as the epidemic progresses, there may be sick colleagues, "he said.

"The SNCF told us to count Monday at most, on 20% of staff absent (...) there will therefore be at least 80% of the offer", said Friday evening the Secretary of State for Transport, Jean- Baptiste Djebbari, on BFMTV.

"Regarding the TGV offer, people who had to travel on Monday will be contacted (...) from tomorrow (Saturday, note) by SMS and will receive the proposal for an alternative offer", he said. precise.

Mr. Djebbari had warned in the middle of the week that the transport plans to RATP and SNCF would be adapted according to the impact of the epidemic on the presence of officers at their work station.

The SNCF management will receive Monday morning the four unions representing the rail group (CGT, Unsa, SUD-Rail and CFDT), we learned from participants.

Regarding preventive measures, SUD-Rail "will request a new organization of work". It is necessary "to protect the personnel everywhere where it is in contact with the customers, at the reception-embarkation, on the quays, in the points of sale, on trains, even if there is no more ticket controls, "said Erik Meyer, federal secretary of SUD-Rail.

© 2020 AFP