Strike threatens on French railways next weekend

The Sud-Rail and CGT unions are at loggerheads with SNCF over demands for, among other things, higher pay and better working hours for train conductors. Sud-Rail indicated that after discussions with SNCF management on Monday, there appears to be no choice but to strike.

SNCF says that wages for conductors have already increased significantly in recent years and that all other rail employees have also received benefits from which the conductors benefit.

SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou is therefore calling on the unions to refrain from the strike that could affect holidaymakers. It is not yet clear whether the state company wants to operate with an adjusted timetable if the work is actually stopped.