A strike by SNCF union members against the dismantling of the Fret SNCF freight carrier is set to impact travel on regional TER and Intercités passenger services from Wednesday evening through to Friday morning. Travel to and from Gare de Monaco Monte-Carlo will be affected.
Beginning at 7pm on Wednesday 20th November and continuing until 8am on Friday 22nd November, one in two Intercités lines and seven in 10 TER connections across the country will be cancelled as railway workers from four of France’s principal unions stage a protest.
Representatives of the CGT, UNSA, SUD-Rail, and CFDT unions say it is time for “collective action” in response to the imminent dismantling of Fret SNCF, which they claim will result in the loss of 500 jobs and the potential relocation of a further 1,200. Fret SNCF offices in Nice are among those affected by these significant changes.
Unions’ motivations
Fret SNCF is set to be replaced on 1 January 2025 by two entities: Hexafret, a freight transport specialist, and Technis, a train maintenance company.
Despite SNCF’s assurances that no layoffs will occur and that employees not retained by the new companies will be absorbed into other departments, concerns persist about the future of Fret SNCF workers and the impact on their daily lives.
The restructuring follows an agreement between the European Commission (EC) and SNCF aimed at avoiding an investigation into potential illegal state aid. Between 2007 and 2019, Fret SNCF reportedly received €5.3 billion in financial assistance, which the EC claims caused market distortion. To avoid repaying the funds, SNCF management agreed to dismantle the division.
Commuters and passengers on local and regional train lines should expect delays throughout the nationwide strike.
Although SNCF has promised that “detailed forecasts will be communicated in each region” regarding cancellations, passengers are advised to check schedules in advance before setting out on their journeys.
For updates on the situation, visit SNCF Connect.
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