French rail Christmas strike strikes! Transport has been paralysed and broken up, sparking social discontent

French rail Christmas strike strikes! Transport has been paralysed and broken up, sparking social discontent

    French rail workers announced two rounds of strikes in the run-up to Christmas, with a 37-hour walkout in late November and an indefinite continuing strike in December. The series of actions aims to prevent the break-up of state-run freight operator Fret SNCF into two new companies, Hexafret and Technis, scheduled to take effect in January 2024.

    The trade unions CFDT-Cheminots, CGT-Cheminots, Sud-Rail and Unsa-Ferroviaire confirmed their intention to strike on the social platform X, announcing that the first round of a 37-hour strike will take place on November 20. The union said that unless Fret SNCF's break-up plans were shelved, workers would go on a "limited but sustainable" 24-hour strike from December 11 with no specific end date.

    The action stems from the French government's decision to dissolve Fret SNCF and create two new companies in response to an EU investigation into its "unfair state aid." The European Commission believes that the French government's injection of 4.3 billion euros into Fret SNCF between 2007 and 2019 is suspected of irregularities, and that the French government and SNCF's parent company chose to implement an "economic disruption plan" to avoid sanctions.

    In addition, about 20% of Fret SNCF's turnover will be allocated to competitors, which includes 23 dedicated freight train lines. The decision was widely criticized, particularly by European green groups. Karima Deli, chair of the European Parliament's Transport and Tourism committee, said the decision sent an "extremely negative signal" to climate and social goals. She stressed that railways were an important solution to the climate crisis, while Fret SNCF was being "sacrificed."

    The union said there was still an opportunity for the government to adopt a reprieve, adding: "In a climate emergency where rail should be seen as a sustainable solution for all, the government has chosen the worst possible path."

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