Paris - Saba:
All French railway unions threatened Saturday an indefinite strike starting on December 11 in protest against the division of the railway freight company "Fret SNCF".
A joint statement by the unions said "In light of the decisions received, the unions submit a strike notice covering the following periods: from Wednesday, November 20 at 19:00 to Friday, November 22 at 08:00, and from Wednesday, December 11 indefinitely."
The unions call for halting these plans and returning to negotiations to find a way to ensure the continuity of "Fret SNCF" and its long-term development.
The French authorities confirmed last Monday that "Fret SNCF" will be liquidated on January 1, 2025 and divided into two companies, "Hexafret" for freight operations and "Technis" for locomotive maintenance.
SNCF employees regularly protest against government plans to liquidate the company due to the European Commission's threats to fine it.
France has previously taken on part of the shipping company's €5.3 billion debt, and the European Commission has deemed the support for the company illegal and "infringing on competition conditions", and Brussels is also demanding compensation for this amount, which would mean the company's immediate bankruptcy.
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