Exasperated unions and exhausted workers. The launch of REME, the Strasbourg regional express network, is scheduled for December 12, 2022. Good news, in short… Only here: Régis Hoffmann, Secretary General CFDT Cheminots Grand Est, sees the announcement with a more worried eye .

In the columns of Le Figaro, he explains: “This is excellent news in a context of inflation and loss of purchasing power. We fully support this project (…) the problem of the lack of personnel does not allow to absorb the increased workload.

Faced with recruitment difficulties and staff shortages, it is difficult not to fear the arrival of this new train network.

Discussions are underway between the union and the SNCF. According to the CFDT Cheminots, a third of the maintenance workers and no less than 80 train drivers are missing.

“The company is ostriching when it is responsible for the chaos it has created”, deplores the trade union organization… Which does not hide its intention to have recourse to a new strike around December 12 in case of disagreement.

“It would be a massive movement because everyone is fed up and it could last several weeks,” Régis Hoffmann told our colleagues.

Faced with the concerns of the unions, the Minister of Transport Clément Beaune had promised to speed up the training and recruitment of maintenance agents and driving staff.

The conclusions of the negotiations between the CFDT Cheminots and the SNCF are expected in the coming days.