French railway workers to strike June 10 over reforms, working conditions

France’s four main SNCF railway unions have jointly called for a nationwide strike on June 10, protesting against ongoing restructuring within the state railway group, which they say is causing severe social and human consequences for workers.

In a joint statement issued after a general assembly on Wednesday, May 6, cited by French media, the unions — CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots — said they were declaring a “state of emergency” over what they described as a growing number of “human tragedies,” including workplace accidents, sick leave and suicides linked to repeated reorganisations and the creation of subsidiaries within SNCF.

“We are seeing an acceleration of tragedies, accompanied by widespread suffering, from operational staff to managers, because forced restructuring and the lack of leadership are leading to a disorientation of the railway workforce,” said Romain Pitelet, deputy secretary-general of CGT-Cheminots, SNCF’s largest union.

“We are now at thirteen cases of suicide in recent months, a situation the company has not experienced for a very long time,” he added, stressing that he did “not want to instrumentalise these tragedies,” but wanted to “act on their causes.”

Pitelet said railway workers were being affected by “competition, the creation of subsidiaries, staff transfers, blocked career prospects”, and reorganisations, including in sectors not directly impacted by transfers.

The unions said they “refuse” to support the current reforms and demanded their “immediate halt,” along with renewed wage negotiations to help workers cope with inflation and rising energy costs.

The strike is planned as a one-day action and is not intended to be extended beyond June 10.

“We still hope that management will come to its senses” and “put railway workers back at the center of discussions,” Pitelet said.

By Tamilla Hasanova