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DRIVERS AND TICKET INSPECTORS PLAN THREE NEW DAYS OF ACTION France’s leading rail union is calling on workers to take more strike action in June after this week’s movement has (so far)
caused little disruption. The CGT-Cheminots, the railway branch of the CGT union, has called on workers from several sectors to strike on June 4, 5, and 11. It will coincide with separate
strikes already called for train drivers (June 4) and ticket inspectors (June 11) outside the union. The CGT is calling on all workers across the network to join. It is currently the only
union officially calling for action. Motivations are similar to those behind the current action – better pay and working conditions, as well as overtime and retirement agreements for
workers. “Our mobilisations are helping to loosen the stranglehold that management wanted to put us in,” the union said as it announced June’s action. HOW MUCH DISRUPTION IS EXPECTED? The
extent of the disruption from this action will only be known closer to June 4. The days of the action – two Wednesdays and a Thursday – fall outside of any public holiday in France,
meaning there will be less impact on holidaymakers as opposed to a strike called at the weekend or a day off. However, as the union is calling on workers across all sectors on the network
to strike, several minor disruptions and delays may lead to the network being overwhelmed. Threats of severe disruption from strikes taking place this week have not come to fruition. Action
by drivers and ticket inspectors at the start of the week failed to disrupt any high-speed TGV service between Monday and Wednesday. Regional TER trains were affected, mostly in the
Île-de-France and Nouvelle Aquitaine regions, although in many other areas little to no impact was felt. A second round of action by ticket inspectors this weekend (May 9 - 11) is set to
cancel around 10% of high-speed trains. France’s state-owned rail network SNCF has promised passengers will be able to reach their destination on the planned day of travel regardless of
cancellations as alternative measures will be made. It is also offering passengers set to travel over the weekend a full refund or exchange on their ticket if they are concerned about
disruption. Travellers should check their scheduled journey from 17:00 the day before (the deadline for timetables to be altered) to see if their service is impacted.