By Marco Hugo Barsotti MHB 
You are listening to a new special from am1575news, Francia24 and Radio Centrale Milano, in podcasting and on medium wave.
Social mobilization for purchasing power will bring the transport system in France to its knees. The heart of the protest concerns the SNCF, where for the first time since last June, the four main railway unions have decided to join in a single strike appeal. The paralysis will begin on the evening of Wednesday, November 4, and will last until the morning of Friday the 6th, coinciding with the inaugural journey of the new TGV M.
Forecasts indicate slightly disrupted traffic for TGV lines, but the situation will be significantly more critical for Intercités trains, TER regional convoys, and Transilien suburban lines in the Paris area. The company has already confirmed that passengers whose trains are cancelled can request a free exchange or refund of their travel ticket.
Unions against inflation and management responds
The reasons for the protest are linked to the social decline of railway workers and salaries deemed insufficient in the face of the soaring cost of living. The trade unions are calling for concrete measures such as a generalized wage increase of two point six percent or, in the case of Sud Rail, a fixed increase of four hundred euros per month. The unions emphasize that the group has the economic resources to respond, having recorded a profit of one billion two hundred million euros in the first half of the year.
In response to the tensions, SNCF management has proposed new measures including the payment of a four hundred euro bonus scheduled for the end of November. An upward revision of allowances for mileage expenses and for work on holidays or nights is also planned. The next official negotiations are instead set for the month of January.
Aviation and transport sectors, strike risks causing disruption
The risk of disruption also extends to the aviation sector. Although there is no formal strike notice for the aviation sector, air traffic controllers may join the public service mobilizations. In parallel, the USAC-CGT union has already called its agents to strike, while Sud Aérien has summoned ground staff at airports. By Wednesday, airlines will be notified of the flights that must be cancelled.
The Paris area and the Île-de-France region could also suffer heavy shocks. Despite there being no specific notice for the RATP, the CGT has launched an unlimited mobilization that could be activated as early as Thursday. Disruptions will also affect the RER lines managed by the SNCF, creating further complications for commuters.
That is all for now. From the newsrooms in Nice and Paris, this is am1575news, Francia24 and Radio Centrale Milano.
Source: AudioVisione – AM 1575 News