VSow can we avoid at all costs a strike during the Paris Olympic Games, which will take place from July 26 to August 11? The question has been obsessing French companies, long-time participants in social movements, for months, starting with the first of them, the SNCF.
The latest controllers’ strike, organized in the middle of the winter holiday rush, paralyzed traffic for a weekend. To avoid new standoffs between unions and management, Jean-Pierre Farandou, the boss of SNCF, announced the launch of a new form of social dialogue. “I no longer want the strike to be used as an entry point for social dialogue at SNCF,” he declared on February 22, during an interview with World.
As part of a meeting on the end of his career, on April 10 he revealed to the union organizations certain proposals, which should contribute to the conclusion of pre-Olympic social peace. The president of the SNCF group was particularly generous. The agreement provides for the extension of the “early cessation of activity” system, which allows agents wishing to retire earlier not to be too financially penalized.
In the event that the agreement is signed by the majority of unions, they will now be able to benefit from such a measure eighteen months before the end of their career, with nine months worked, then nine months without working for a salary maintained at up to 75% during the eighteen months. Until then, provisions in force within the SNCF allow you to leave twelve months earlier, for remuneration maintained at 60%.
Unions “pleasantly surprised”
For the most difficult jobs, such as that of driver, this system increases to thirty months, with 100% remuneration during the fifteen months worked, then 75% the rest of the time. The agreement also contains generous provisions on part-time work and the introduction of an additional grade in the salary scale. It will allow railway workers over the age of 55 to obtain a final increase, of around 3.8%, according to calculations by the Unsa union.
“We knew that the company would make progress, but we are pleasantly surprised that they are at this level,” greets Didier Mathis, general secretary of Unsa railway, the second majority union at SNCF. After consulting their members – “who were 100% in favor” – Unsa signed the agreement on Monday. For its part, the CGT had announced its intention to validate the agreement on April 11. “These negotiations bring new rights for everyone,” rejoiced the first union organization.
Unsa and the CGT alone representing 50% of railway workers, “we are therefore certain that the agreement is validated and will come into force on 1er January 2025 », explains Didier Mathis. The CFDT also announced its intention to sign. For its part, SUD-Rail has not communicated its decision. “It is our members who will decide,” the organization simply indicates in a press release. They have until Monday April 22 to sign the text. SNCF management, when contacted, refused to comment on this sudden outburst of generosity before this date. The amount of the operation is not known, while the carrier is burdened with a debt of 24.4 billion euros.
Jackpot for controllers
The time when Jean-Pierre Farandou declared on February 13 on RTL that “we cannot say yes to everything” already seems far away. Officially, this agreement aims to improve the end of their careers, while railway workers will have to work two more years since the introduction of the last pension reform. The threat of a strike for the Olympics nevertheless weighed heavily in the negotiations. “Ultimately, there was certainly that in the minds of the management because there is a system more advantageous for the captains than for the rest of the agents,” admits Didier Mathis.
Controllers – or “captains” in the house jargon – obtain the right to leave early thirty-six months before the official end of their career, compared to thirty months for difficult jobs. A measure which nevertheless seems contradictory with the declarations of Jean-Pierre Farandou, who has always insisted that he does not want to make categorical preferences. This preferential treatment does not delight all the unions.
It remains to be seen whether the ointment passed by Jean-Pierre Farandou will be enough to avoid a new social movement during the Olympic Games or if the unions will seek to obtain more. SUD-Rail has filed a strike notice for the period covering the bridges in May. Will it be lifted if the agreement is signed? “The conflicting points included in the notice are not all linked to the round table on the end of career,” says Julien Troccaz, the federal secretary of SUD-Rail, the third union in terms of representativeness at the SNCF with 18.7 % of votes in the last professional elections.
