Following another day of disruptive strike action earlier this week over the payment of bonuses during the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer, the leader of one of France’s leading opposition political parties has called for the privatisation of SNCF. This initiative would, according to them, ensure more fair competition.

In an interview with French TV news channel, BFMTV, Éric Ciotti, president of the Republican party, took a swipe at the state-owned railway company: “There hasn’t been a year since 1947 when SNCF hasn’t been on strike”. He went on to accuse labour unions of blocking “those who work.” Ciotti intends to table a bill in the French Assembly to privatise SNCF. “Enough is enough. This company (SNCF) needs to be subject to competition, and there needs to be freedom”.

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A new, privileged deal was also a detonator

He also denounced the recent agreement between SNCF’s management and unions on an early retirement scheme, describing it as “an absolute scandal”. Signed at the end of last month, it gives SNCF staff a better end-of-career deal than under previous provision. The new deal is widely seen in France as a way of ‘buying’ industrial relations peace and offsetting the risk of strikes during this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in which SNCF, as a transport provider, is a key partner.

It is due to come into force at the start of next year and is particularly beneficial to SNCF staff who occupy physically-demanding jobs. When news of the early retirement agreement broke, it triggered severe criticism from France’s Finance and Economic Affairs minister, Bruno Le Maire, who said he believed it circumvented a 2023 French pension reform law. It led to SNCF chief, Jean-Pierre Farandou, being summoned to the French Senate to explain the deal.

‘Good luck with that’, says outgoing SNCF boss

Farandou is stepping down from his post at the end of the Games. Responding to Ciotti’s privatisation proposal, he quipped: “Good luck with that.” Meanwhile, France’s Transport minister, Patrice Vergriete, slammed this week’s strike as “unacceptable. Negotiations cannot be tantamount to a threat to sabotage an event of national interest such as the Olympic Games.”

Industrial action has nevertheless led to SNCF improving its bonus offer to workers during the Games, increasing extra, daily payments from 50 euros to 95 euros up to a maximum of 1,900 euros over a 20-day period. The unions have until June 4 to make their decision on the offer.

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