Strike Notice at SNCF for Christmas and New Year’s Weekends

As anticipated, a strike notice has been issued at SNCF for the Christmas and New Year’s weekends. The two unions, Sud-Rail and the CGT, have confirmed their decision to go on strike at the end of the year. Sud-Rail has made no effort to deny this information, reaffirming its intention to proceed with the strike notice.

If confirmed, this action is likely to significantly disrupt travel during these two weekends, traditionally a time for people to visit family or spend a few days in the mountains. While the core demand remains the same—a salary increase—the approach appears slightly different this time. However, both unions have left the door open for negotiations and are calling on the relevant parties to engage in the process.

The Proposals

It is clear that this strike notice is not universally supported. Some are satisfied, while others expect more from management. Specifically, management is proposing a salary increase of €600 per year for train managers, equivalent to €50 per month. This would be accompanied by more gradual salary increases and better consideration of employees’ medical situations.

However, unless a clear resolution is reached that satisfies the key stakeholders, a large-scale movement is expected. Olivier, the head of the ASCT (Train Commercial Service Agents) collective, has cited the early December strike as an example and stressed that the upcoming hours could be decisive, given the lack of consensus from recent consultations.

What Does This Mean for Passengers?

Will SNCF management risk traffic disruptions at the end of the year? That remains uncertain. According to key union leaders, the proposals on the table fall far short of expectations. Passengers affected by these strike actions will be closely monitoring the outcome, as their travel plans may be at risk of cancellation.