Macron on verge of victory in battle to reform French rail
Railway workers have staged weeks of rolling strikes against the government plans
In launching his plan to overhaul France’s heavilyindebted state rail operator SNCF earlier this year, President Emmanuel Macron knew he was taking aim at a bastion of labour unions which have long defied a range of government reform efforts.
Yet yesterday, the 40-yearold centrist was just days from enshrining into law changes which analysts have compared with Margaret Thatcher’s taking on British mining unions in the 1980s.
The final text of the SNCF reform, which the government says is needed to cut costs and improve flexibility ahead of the opening of the EU passenger rail market to competition, was approved by lawmakers on Monday.
The National Assembly, where Macron’s Republic on the Move (LREM) party has a solid majority, will vote today, followed by a final vote in the Senate tomorrow.
“The government has committed itself to our rail industry as no other has before us,” Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne told Franceinfo radio, referring to pledges for debt relief and infrastructure investments.
“I now urge the unions to assume their responsibilities,” she said.
Rail workers have staged weeks of rolling strikes against the plans, vowing to walk off the job two days out of every five until June 28.
Pension guarantees
They are fighting in particular a move to deny job and pension guarantees to new hires, along with plans to turn the SNCF into a joint-stock company, which they consider a first step toward privatisation.
Yet polls have consistently shown that the unions have failed to win the battle of public opinion, with nearly 60 per cent of respondents saying the strikes are unjustified.
The SNCF itself tallies the cost of the strikes since early April at more than €400 million (Dh1.7 billion).
Union leaders have warned the government against claiming victory too early, with some hinting that strikes could be extended into the key summer vacation season.
“Rail workers will decide what to do based on what we obtain, but for now I can solemnly say that this strike is far from over,” said Philippe Martinez of the CGT, France’s biggest union among public-sector workers.
Despite yesterday’s “day of rail anger” that caused a spike in delays and cancellations for France’s 4.5 million daily rail passengers, the number of striking workers has steadily tapered off in recent weeks.
The SNCF said 17.6 per cent of workers took part yesterday — down from around 34 per cent in April — although 53 per cent of train drivers walked off.