Signalmen's strike: very strong disruption of SNCF traffic in the South West on Monday

Europe 1 9:26 p.m., January 21, 2022

A signalmen's strike in New Aquitaine will seriously disrupt rail traffic in the South-West of France on Monday, with in particular the cancellation of 85% of the TGVs between Paris and Bordeaux and "very disrupted" regional traffic, announced the SNCF on Friday. The SNCF will ensure the circulation of five direct TGV round trips between Paris and Bordeaux, i.e. around 15% of the planned offer, “for customers who absolutely need to travel that day”.

"All travelers who can are invited to postpone their trip to another date," said a spokesperson for SNCF Voyageurs.

No TGV will circulate south of Bordeaux, towards Hendaye and Toulouse.

The call to strike was launched by the CGT-Cheminots and the Unsa railway to demand better management of the end of career and measures to ensure the loyalty of the personnel, indicated the Unsa.

Increase in their work bonus

The signalmen, who are employees of the SNCF Réseau company, are also demanding an increase in their work bonus, especially since the employees of the SNCF Voyageurs company benefited from a bonus of 600 euros at the end of the year. "People from the Network are also asking for it because Voyageurs does not run its trains on its own," Didier Mathis, secretary general of Unsa railway, told AFP.

With regard to Intercités, the service will also be "very disrupted" with only two round trips between Toulouse and Marseille on the Bordeaux-Marseille line, two Toulouse-Bayonne round trips and no Nantes-Bordeaux train.

The Paris-Orléans-Limoges-Toulouse train and the Paris-Rodez/Toulouse and Paris-Latour de Carol/Lourdes night trains will run normally, said the SNCF Voyageurs spokesperson.

The TGV Inoui, Ouigo and Intercités customers concerned will be notified and will be able to exchange their ticket or get a refund.

30% of the usual TER traffic in New Aquitaine

For the TER in New Aquitaine, the transport plan provides for 30% of the usual traffic to be ensured, indicated the SNCF.

But ten lines, out of the thirty in the region, "will not be served" (Poitiers / Angoulême, Angoulême / Bordeaux, Angoulême / Saintes / Royan, Poitiers / La Rochelle, La Rochelle / Saintes, Bordeaux / Arcachon, Bordeaux / Agen , Niort/Saintes, Bordeaux/Morcenx/Dax and Agen/Périgueux).

In addition, connections between TER and main lines will not be guaranteed.

The signalmen's strike is scheduled for Sunday 7:00 p.m. to Tuesday 8:00 a.m., but traffic should be "almost normal" Sunday evening.

“Extensive negotiations have been held. Despite the proposals made by SNCF Réseau, the notice has not been lifted,” said SNCF Réseau in a press release, saying that it wished “the continuation of the dialogue”.