In early November, the CGT and Sud-Rail unions filed strike notices for the end-of-year school holidays. Neither body ultimately called a strike. However, their notices have not been withdrawn, leaving the opportunity for workers who wish to go on strike despite everything, as reported by our colleagues from franceinfo.
The two periods concerned by the notices follow each other closely: from December 23 to 26, then from December 30 to January 2. The collective actually carrying out the strike is called ACST, or “Collectif d’Agents du service commercial trains”. It brings together several thousand captains, or controllers, and claims to be apolitical. The members demanded better working conditions and remuneration, and had asked union representatives to negotiate on their behalf with management, negotiations which therefore did not succeed.
In a desperate attempt to alleviate the discomfort generated for train users, the SNCF has greatly relaxed its after-sales conditions. Indeed, both the exchange and the reimbursement of journeys will be completely free as part of the social movement. The CEO of SNCF Voyageurs Christophe Fanichet even said on Wednesday that canceled train tickets would be reimbursed at 200% because “the period is very special – it’s Christmas – and this strike is unacceptable”.
You can therefore find below the main disruptions to the rail network for the coming Christmas weekend, according to Le Parisien.