Rail strike: SNCF traffic almost normal, disruptions on some lines including RER C

Europe 1 with AFP 08:04, September 26, 2023

Train traffic will be "almost normal" on the entire SNCF network on Tuesday, the day of national strike call, according to the railway company, but traffic on "some lines", such as the RER C, will be disrupted. The SNCF invites travelers "to check the circulation of trains and connections on the usual information channels".

Affected passengers have already been notified individually

The passengers of the "few TGV Inoui, Ouigo or (trains) Intercités" affected by disruptions "have already been warned individually, in order to benefit from a postponement or a refund without charge," said SNCF-Voyageurs, Monday, in a statement sent to AFP.

In Ile-de-France, RER line C severely disrupted

Locally, traffic on some lines will be disrupted on Tuesday by the strike. In Ile-de-France, train traffic will be "very strongly disrupted" on line C of the RER, with only one train out of three planned. Traffic will be "disrupted" on the RER D, with two out of three trains "on average", and line N (3 trains out of 4). It will be "slightly disturbed" on the RER E (4 trains out of 5).

Trade unions denounce 'social scuttling'

The CGT-Cheminots, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots unions called for a strike on Tuesday to denounce what they call "social scuttling", including the transfer of employees to subsidiaries as part of the opening to competition. They also protest against "the dismantling of SNCF Freight" in the "discontinuity plan" prepared by the government for the European Commission, with "the elimination of 500 positions out of 5,000 railway workers" of this company of the SNCF group or the "cessation of the operation of all combined trains (...) transferred to the private sector".

In January, the European Commission opened an investigation into the financial support provided by the French state to Fret SNCF from 2007 to 2019, in particular the cancellation of its €5.3 billion debt. Brussels could declare this aid illegal, which would automatically cause the bankruptcy of Fret SNCF, unable to repay it.

The government has proposed to Brussels a "discontinuity scenario" consisting of liquidating Fret SNCF and replacing it with a new structure. It would leave to competitors part of its activity which currently represents 30% of traffic and 20% of SNCF freight's turnover, and employs 10% of its railway workers.