France’s train traffic disrupted amid strike for higher pay

Jul 6, 2022, 1:43 AM | Updated: 3:55 am

PARIS (AP) — A strike by railway workers demanding higher pay amid cost of living increases interrupted train services in France on Wednesday.

National railway company SNCF said about one high-speed train in four was canceled, while regional services such as suburban trains in the Paris region experienced disruptions.

International lines, including Eurostar trains to London and Thalys trains to Brussels, were expected to run normally Wednesday, SNCF said.

The CGT, Unsa, SUD-Rail and CFDT unions called the one-day strike. A meeting between unions and SNCF’s management was scheduled for Wednesday.

The CGT said in a statement that it wants “general wage increases at least equal to rising inflation” after 10 years of wage freezes.

“When you go to the supermarket, when you fill up your tank, when you have to pay your bills, that’s where it’s difficult,” Fabien Villedieu, a train driver and SUD-Rail union spokesperson, told The Associated Press. “And when your wage is frozen, you worry about it every day.”

“The number one problem in France isn’t the strike at the SNCF, it’s the frozen wages and the loss in terms of purchasing power,” he added.

In a Paris train station, French retiree Michel Bardet, 64, said he understands the reasons for the strike. “It doesn’t bother me, on the contrary, I think it’s normal,” he said, adding that “it’s good that people fight for that (pay rise).”

Another traveler, Fatima Martins, 45, came as a tourist with her family from Portugal. They managed to travel by train from Fontainebleau, south of Paris, to the French capital on Wednesday morning, despite disruptions.

“At the station, we were told half the trains had been canceled so we were a little skeptical but everything went well,” she said.

The strike takes place as many travelers are planning to use trains to go on summer vacations.

The SNCF advised people to cancel or postpone their trips and to work from home, when possible.

___

AP reporter Alexander Turnbull contributed to the story.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

FILE - Protesters stand outside of the Senate chamber at the Indiana Statehouse on Feb. 22, 2023, i...

Associated Press

LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning

The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. on Tuesday.

2 days ago

FILE - People wait in line outside the Supreme Court in Washington to listen to oral arguments in a...

Associated Press

Supreme Court opened the door to states’ voting restrictions. Now a new ruling could widen them.

Within hours of a U.S. Supreme Court decision dismantling a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, Texas lawmakers announced plans to implement a strict voter ID law that had been blocked by a federal court. Lawmakers in Alabama said they would press forward with a similar law that had been on hold.

2 days ago

Gavel (Pexels Photo)...

Associated Press

Ex-teacher sentenced to prison for making death threat against Arizona legislator

A former Tucson middle school teacher was sentenced Tuesday to 2 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to making a death threat against Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers.

2 days ago

FILE - Police officers stand outside a Target store as a group of people protest across the street,...

Associated Press

Pride becomes a minefield for big companies, but many continue their support

Many big companies, including Target and Bud Light's parent, are still backing Pride events in June despite the minefield that the monthlong celebration has become for some of them.

3 days ago

FILE - Then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden plays music on a phone as he arrives to spe...

Associated Press

Biden, looking to shore up Hispanic support, faces pressure to get 2024 outreach details right

Joe Biden vowed in 2020 to work “like the devil” to energize Hispanic voters, and flew to Florida seven weeks before Election Day to do just that.

3 days ago

Editorial members of the Austin American-Statesman's Austin NewsGuild picket along the Congress Ave...

Associated Press

Correction: US-Gannett Walkout story

Journalists at two dozen local newspapers across the U.S. walked off the job Monday to demand an end to painful cost-cutting measures and a change of leadership at Gannett, the country's biggest newspaper chain.

3 days ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

...

re:vitalize

Why drug-free weight loss still matters

Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for many people as they progress throughout life, but choosing between a holistic approach or to take medicine can be a tough decision.

France’s train traffic disrupted amid strike for higher pay