FRANCE: Crippling rail strike begins after French government fails to find solution with trade unions worried over privatisation of parts of the SNCF railway

Record ID: 341642

  • Title: FRANCE: Crippling rail strike begins after French government fails to find solution with trade unions worried over privatisation of parts of the SNCF railway
  • Date: 22nd November 2005
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (French) PASSENGER CEDERIC THERON SAYING: "We are wondering. We bought a cake just in case, so we have something to eat, but nobody can be sure of anything. Yes, our first train was cancelled. We hope that there will be another one but we are not sure."
  • Embargoed: 7th December 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Domestic Politics,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA120YS0C05738P11RSBYIT3GMB
  • Story Text: A crippling rail strike started in France on the evening of Monday (November 21) after the government failed to find a solution to a dispute over what unions call an erosion of public services and workers' rights.
    Days after weeks of nightly rioting in poor suburbs ended, the French government was facing another conflict as the unions launched the one-day strike to protest against conditions at SNCF and concern over the possible privatisation of the national rail operator.
    Four trade unions worried over a privatisation of the SNCF railway company started the strike at 8pm (1900GMT), despite a letter from the transport minister assuring them there were no plans to sell SNCF or to close some railway lines.
    Although the strike is open-ended, the Government was counting on most railway workers resuming work on Wednesday because enthusiasm among staff for a long stoppage is said to be low.
    They are protesting against what they see as preparations to sell off part of the SNCF after the company announced a restructuring plan that would divide it into four operating units. They also want pay rises and improvements to working conditions.
    Some commuters are used to the strike routine and prepared for the worst.
    "We bought a cake just in case, so we have something to eat, but nobody can be sure of anything," said Cederic Theron, whose train was cancelled and who was hoping to take a second one with his family.
    Some others were very upset like Odile who was waiting for her train in Paris' Saint Lazare station.
    "It's a scandal. I've had enough. Poor French people are permanently taken hostages by the SNCF employees, who are largely privileged by the state, because they are paid by the state and they have amazing pensions. And it's a scandal that they take hostages among poor people who just want to go to work," she said.
    The CGT, the biggest and most powerful union, has also lodged notice of a strike on Wednesday on the Paris RATP, which operates the Metro underground system and bus services in the capital.
    The rail strike, which started at 8 p.m. (1900 GMT) Monday, coincided with the listing of shares of state power giant EDF , which the unions also strongly opposed.
    SNCF said it could only guarantee services for one in four regional trains and about one-third of long-distance, high-speed TGV trains during the strike that would cost the firm an estimated 20 million euros ($23.38 million).
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