Spanish train drivers’ union calls nationwide rail strike Over safety concerns

A Spanish trade union representing train drivers has called a nationwide strike across the rail sector, citing serious safety concerns following a series of fatal accidents on the country’s railway network.

The union, Semaf, said the action was necessary to demand guarantees over the safety and reliability of rail infrastructure after several recent incidents, which have resulted in multiple deaths, including three train drivers, Caliber.Az reports via Spanish media.

In a statement, Semaf said it would seek criminal accountability for those responsible for ensuring rail safety, following a derailment in Adamuz, in the southern province of Córdoba, and another incident on the Rodalies commuter network in Gelida, near Barcelona.

The union also warned that services in Catalonia should not resume unless sufficient safety guarantees are in place. It added that drivers across all rail operators would require confirmation that routes are safe before starting their shifts.

Semaf said drivers who felt unable to work due to the emotional impact of the accidents should inform their managers, and stressed that, where safety guarantees are not provided, train speeds would be adjusted to reflect actual infrastructure conditions.

The recent incidents in Catalonia were linked to severe weather, including two derailments. In one case, near Maçanet, a train struck a rock that had fallen onto the tracks, though no passengers were injured. In Gelida, a retaining wall collapsed onto the line, causing a train to collide with the debris, leaving one person dead and around 30 injured.

“This situation is unacceptable,” the union said, describing what it called the continued deterioration of Spain’s railway system. It added that members were “devastated” by the death of a colleague.

Semaf said it had attempted to halt all train traffic on the Rodalies network as soon as it became aware of the derailments, but learned of the fatality while those efforts were underway.

The strike, the union said, is intended to provide legal backing for industrial action by rail workers and to press for urgent measures to protect both staff and passengers. Semaf added that it would continue to inform the public about further actions in the coming days.

Spanish authorities are investigating the country’s deadliest rail accident in more than a decade after 41 people were killed in a train collision in southern Spain.

The crash happened near Adamuz, in the province of Córdoba, when a Madrid-bound train derailed on a straight stretch of track and crossed onto the opposite line, colliding with an oncoming service.

Around 400 passengers and staff were on board the two trains, according to officials.

By Aghakazim Guliyev