A national strike was launched on Wednesday, and the management of the SNCF has planned a round table with the social partners.
While a national strike was launched on Wednesday by the four unions representing SNCF staff, greatly disrupting the departures of French people on vacation, the CGT underlines the requests of employees. “The employees are asking, for the moment, 7%“, general salary increase, said this Wednesday, Philippe Martinez, general secretary of the union, on France 2.
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The direction of the SNCF has planned a round table with the social partners, this Wednesday. In the event of a lower proposal,there will be general meetings of employees. They are the ones who will decide if it is satisfactory or if the strike should be renewed.“, he said. According to the secretary general of the CGT, two meetings with the management have already been held for two weeks but nothing has been announced.
Last week, SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou said he had heard the message: “We are perfectly aware that, yes, railway workers, and in particular the lowest salaries, have difficulties given the increase in the cost of livinghe pointed out. It is necessary to satisfy legitimate social demands, and at the same time, to preserve the major balances“.
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In a press release, at the beginning of July, the CGT Cheminots thus demanded “general wage increases at least equal to runaway inflation“. According to the unions, wages at the SNCF have not been revalued since 2014. With a rise in prices, which reached 5.8% in June in France over one year, the first subject of concern for railway workers has become their loss of purchasing power. The 7% figure, quoted by Philippe Martinez, roughly corresponds to the inflation rate expected by Insee by the end of the year – but the average for 2022 will be lower.
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