Compared to previous years, the number of regional and national-level strikes in France has been relatively low this year, but that quiet is expected to end as winter approaches. Widespread industrial action is being planned by unions representing transport sector workers over the coming weeks, with additional strikes by agricultural workers compounding fears of mass walkouts during the festive period.
France has a long history of strikes and protests embedded in its culture, a tradition that goes all the way back to the dawn of the French Revolution in 1789, when civil unrest fuelled by economic hardship led to an upheaval that changed the nation.
Striking was formally legalised in 1864 and has since evolved into a key way for workers to advocate for their rights. Today, French unions are known for their ability to quickly mobilise large-scale actions with specific objectives, a practice viewed as a form of social empowerment and resistance against government policies.
Successive transport sector strikes
2024 has been a relatively calm year for strike action, but that is set to change during the second half of November and the month of December.
Following the pilots’ walkout on Thursday 14th November, a protest against the government’s new air transport tax hike, further demonstrations by the transport sector are likely to impact travellers going into the festive period.
The first comes on Thursday 21st November, when all four of France’s major rail unions will stage a one-day strike that is expected to cause substantial disruptions to train services across the country, including high-speed TGV lines, regional TER trains, commuter lines and Intercité routes.
The primary issue driving these strikes is the ongoing privatisation of France’s state-owned rail network, SNCF, and other regional services, specifically the dismantling of Fret SNCF, the nation’s leading freight line, which will lead to 500 job losses in January as the company is split in two.
The unions involved – Sud Rail Federation, CGT-Cheminots, Unsa-Ferroviaire and CFDT-Cheminots – are notably asking for a delay in the dismantling of Fret SNCF to allow time for negotiations or alternative solutions to be found.
Union leaders have made it clear that if the French government fails to respond to their demands, they are prepared to launch an even larger strike on Wednesday 11th December and potentially extend the strike action deeper into the busy holiday travel season.
Sud Rail Federation, one of the four unions involved, published a statement on X that reads, “The ball is now in the government’s and Groupe SNCF’s court.”
More strikes to come
Farmers are also joining the action, with demonstrations targeting trucks transporting agricultural goods from Spain and other EU countries in the works. These protests could lead to road blockages and cause delays for passengers travelling through affected parts of the country.
Additionally, two unions representing civil servants are planning three days of action in early December, though exact dates have not yet been announced.
Read related:
French pilots to strike on Thursday over planned airline tax hike
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