Countries affected in Europe by the strike of the SNCF

The strike movement started this Monday evening. He announces himself hard and will save neither Switzerland, nor Belgium, Spain and Italy.

The strike of the employees of the public railway company began Monday evening. But the returns of the long weekend of Easter were to finally be saved with a “normal” traffic, contrary to the repeated warning statements of the SNCF.

Massive strike and of long life in the rail, new turbulences with Air France: France prepares at “black Tuesday” in transport whereas social dissatisfaction extends vis–a–vis the reforms from president Macron.

The trade unions of public operator the SNCF protest against the suppression of the recruiting to the special statute, the methods of opening to competition or the transformation of the SNCF into limited company. What, according to them, opens up the way for a future privatization, denied however by the government.

The reform project “aims at destroying the railway public service by pure ideological dogmatism” and “will not regulate the subject of the debt, nor that of the dysfunctions”, the trade unions in their notice affirm.

The movement, which envisages 36 days of strike in nearly three months, put on the wear of the public opinion which, according to the surveys, estimates for the moment this unjustified strike. The railwaymen think nevertheless whom the opinion could rock if the executive continued to display the same intransigence.

The direction of the SNCF envisages a very hard conflict. Tuesday, it counts on average on a TGV on eight and one regional train out of five in circulation.

The international traffic is saved a little more, even if no train circulates Tuesday towards Switzerland, Spain and Italy. On the other hand, three Eurostar out of four will ensure the other connections towards the foreigner, with also a quasi normal circulation on Thalys towards Belgium.

For the 4.5 million daily travellers of the SNCF, reduced to fold back itself on the car–pooling and the coaches, the weeks to come are announced complicated.

President Macron, who committed himself “transforming in–depth France”, plays large in this emblematic file on which several governments moved back in the past, in particular that of right–hand side in 1995 when a massive strike paralysed the country during weeks.

The Head of the State so much denounced the opposition to progress and the fear of reforming his predecessors who it can tergiversate with difficulty without risking of large political damage in return.

But also in the private one as with Air France where the conflict sinks. Tuesday, staffs of the company disconnect for the fourth time in a little more than one month to claim a general increase of the wages of 6%.

Air France envisages nevertheless to ensure 75% of its flights Tuesday, indicated the airline company Monday. This one counts 32.8% strikers at the pilots, 20.5% among the commercial flight personnel and 14.5% at ground staffs.

Three other strikes are envisaged April 7th, 10th and 11th. This movement is not connected a direct link with the Macron reforms. But by enlarging the rows of disgruntled, it contributes to put the pressure on the government, confronted of entry with a true social spring.

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Gabriel MIHAI

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