Railway unions preserve strike after negotiations fail | Economy | EUROtoday

The most consultant unions in Renfe (Semaf, CC OO and UGT) preserve the decision for a strike beginning tomorrow till, in precept, Wednesday after negotiations with the Ministry of Transport failed over the weekend. The choice comes days after these centrals and different unions gathered round 2,000 railway employees in a protest to demand extra safety and investments in infrastructure. These professionals introduced the strike after the accidents in Adamuz (Córdoba) and Gelida (Barcelona). The first accident brought on the loss of life of 46 folks, together with a practice driver; and the second that of one other railway skilled.

The conferences between Semaf, CC OO, UGT and Transport started on Wednesday, a primary assembly through which the events expressed their positions: the unions demanded extra funding in safety, each in infrastructure upkeep and in human sources. The division headed by Óscar Puente confirmed from the start its willingness to satisfy these calls for, with affords of enhancements which have been finalized in subsequent conferences. However, the ministry has did not persuade the unions.

Semaf, the union with essentially the most illustration amongst practice drivers, was the primary to name for a strike at Renfe a number of days after the Adamuz accident, which was joined by the remainder of the unions with a presence on the general public firm committee within the following days. Organization sources guarantee that, because the final assembly on Friday, solely technical contacts passed off over the weekend and recall that the unions are asking for a structural change in safety that may contain reviewing quite a few facets. At UGT they remorse that the ministry didn’t have time to name a brand new assembly over the weekend. The grievance coincides with the closing of an operation for which Talgo has been awarded 20 high-speed trains in Saudi Arabia.

Semaf additionally known as for a strike past Renfe, to the remainder of the businesses that make use of practice drivers. That is, all through the Renfe Group, each in Travelers (High Speed, Long Distance, Medium Distance and Cercanías) and in Renfe Mercancías; within the non-public high-speed passenger transport firms Iryo and Ouigo; and within the non-public freight transport firms Medway, Captrain, Transervi, Redalsa and Tracción Rail. CC OO and CGT additionally known as on a number of of those non-public firms. Other organizations resembling CGT, Railway Union, Railway Circulation Union and Alferro additionally be a part of the mobilizations, though they don’t take part within the negotiations.

The strikes prolong past the practice drivers and have an effect on all personnel within the sector, from operation to upkeep, on-board care and different public service actions. A gesture that highlights the disaster through which the sector, a key enterprise for the transport of passengers and items, is immersed.

On Tuesday, an indication was held that introduced collectively some 2,000 railway employees (in response to the organizing unions) in entrance of the Ministry of Transport. They demanded extra funding in security and higher upkeep of railway infrastructure. The convening unions careworn that the system is protected, however that there are flaws to be corrected and that can’t be ignored after the deadly accidents in Adamuz (Córdoba) and Gelida (Barcelona).

In anticipation that the negotiations will turn into sophisticated and the strike could also be extended, the ministry has set minimal providers of 73% in excessive pace and lengthy distance, besides in Catalonia and the Basque Country, whose powers are transferred. In suburban areas, a each day service utilized by 1000’s of individuals to get to their jobs, primary operation will attain 75% throughout rush hour and 50% the remainder of the day. In medium distance and freight, the minimal providers are set at 60% and 21%, respectively.

In Catalonia, the exercise of practice drivers will likely be 66% in peak hours and 33% in off-peak hours on Rodalies and regional trains, in response to info supplied by the Department of Business of the Generalitat. The durations with the best protection coincide with morning and night journeys, between 6 and 9:30 and 5 and eight:30 p.m., whereas exterior of these instances the service assure is decreased to the minimal. On Saturday, the discontent over the chaos in Rodalies was seen in a citizen protest within the streets of Barcelona, ​​demanding high quality service.

The unions had already protested what they thought-about “abusive” minimal providers, too excessive within the opinion of the centrals. “The objective is to ensure the provision of essential services and the non-postponable movements of citizens, making them compatible with the exercise of the right to strike,” mentioned Transport.

For their half, the three operators Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo have collectively canceled the circulation of greater than 330 high-speed trains, and within the case of public trains, additionally long-distance trains, between February 9 and 11.