Winter holiday disruption likely as French train conductors go on strike
As railway workers prepare to walk off the job, France is preparing for major travel disruptions on Friday and over the weekend. The CEO of train operator SNCF has warned that the strikes will target winter break destinations as many families head to the Alps for the school holidays.
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The SNCF announced that only half of high-speed TGVs would run over the weekend as up to 90 percent of ticket inspectors go on strike.
In addition to inspectors, who are the main point of contact for passengers, the ‘Junior et Compagnie’ service is disrupted as well, as workers who look after unaccompanied children also take part in the walkout.
Trade unions CGT and Sud-Rail are taking action over what they say is slow progress by SNCF's management a year after agreeing better benefits and pay for workers following their Christmas 2022 strikes.
Bad timing?
Management, however, claims that they have increased wages, introduced additional jobs, and the promised bonuses.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, in response to the strike threat, said that he respects “the right to strike” but criticised the timing during busy holiday periods.
“Every vacation, there is a strike,” he said.
SNCF's CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou added that he saw no reason to "disrupt the lives of French people who want to go on holiday".
He added: “We will try to run all the trains that head to the Alps and the Pyrénées for the winter holidays."
Trip postponement
Despite Farandou’s promise to minimise disruption, SNCF is advising travellers to postpone their trips.
The strike in 2022 ended on 23 December when unions signed an agreement with SNCF after the action led to the cancellation of one in three trains.
Unions say that SNCF, despite its lip service, has yet to deliver on its promises.
As state-owned operators, SNCF trains and RATP urban services are the most common targets for strike action compared to other operators like Thalys, Eurostar, or Deutsche Bahn.
According to the SNCF website, “rail workers cannot call a strike at random or on the spur of the moment”, and must follow a specific procedure under French law.
Union representatives must first bring their demands to company management. Strikes are triggered if disputes are not resolved.
If terms aren’t reached between SNCF and its workers soon, the Olympics, now only months away, might bear the brunt of another strike.
Public response
A poll by BFMTV revealed that 52 percent of French people oppose this weekend's strike. With less than 10 percent showing support, it’s the least popular strike of recent years, especially compared to the widely supported farmers and pension reform protests.
Families ready to hit the slopes will not know whether to stay or go, with train cancellations only confirmed the afternoon before departure.
SNCF claims they cannot publish details of modified transport plans until 17:00 the day before as they don’t receive details until 48 hours before the strike begins, and it takes a day to draft their modified transport plans.
Travellers will receive a text message or email if the strike impacts their route. Ticket-holders are entitled to a 100 percent refund or rescheduling free of charge for cancelled services due to strike action.
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