In Paris-Metz, this Monday in December, the two controllers are overwhelmed. That very morning, colleagues tried to convince them not to strike at Christmas or New Years. But they do not want to hear anything, hurt by the way they feel treated by the management of the SNCF. And sometimes, also, by the other professions of the company. “Drivers get what they want when they go on strike. Not us. So we won’t give up.”explain the two agents, who both have twenty-three years of service.
The ASCT – agents of the commercial train service – the official name of the controllers, who are also called captains, are numerous to be on the same line. They have been asking the company for months to recognize that they are not employees. “sedentary” but “rollers” and that, consequently, the bonuses they receive for each trip or when they sleep away from home for work are partly integrated into their salary, to smooth out variations.
“My gross salary is 2,250 euros but, with the bonuses, I earn 3,200 euros net certain months”, explains Franck, thirty-four years in the business, crossed in the TGV Paris-La Rochelle. The gross is less than 2000 euros for a controller with twenty years of seniority, the net climbing to 2800 euros with the variable elements. Bonuses that disappear during holidays, training, maternity leave, sick leave and, above all, upon retirement.
A truce ?
To improve this situation, discussions have been ongoing with management since November. In addition to the increases and bonuses resulting from wage negotiations for the entire SNCF, the company has taken steps in the direction of controllers by improving their career development (“You could stay blocked for fourteen years at the same level”explains Franck), by offering them to reorient themselves towards another job if they wish and by increasing their skipper’s bonus by 600 euros gross per year, which will be partially integrated into their salary in 2024.
“Why in 2024? » get annoyed Catherine and Jennifer in Paris-Metz. “We have already had a weekend strike and we have been negotiating for a month and a half, all that to obtain 38.50 euros per month, it does not pass”sighs Nicolas, one of the pillars of the National Collective ASCT (CNA), which centralizes the claims.
Management has advised that discussions are over and they are now focusing on the transport plan to inform travelers
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