SNCF Reaches Wage Agreement with Two Out of Four Unions

The railway group SNCF has proposed a salary increase of 4.6% on average for its railway workers in 2024, including a 1.8% general increase and a commitment to raising low wages so that none of them is lower than the minimum wage. Two major unions, CFDT-Cheminots and Unsa-Ferroviaire, have announced their intention to sign the proposed agreement. However, two other unions, CGT-Cheminots and SUD-Rail, have expressed opposition to the agreement.

The CFDT-Cheminots and Unsa-Ferroviaire have both indicated that they are clear in their decision to sign the agreement after consulting members and management structures. These reformist unions represent 42.67% of the votes against 57.33% for the CGT-Cheminots and SUD-Rail, who are opposed to the agreement.

SUD-Rail has already announced its intention to build a powerful mobilization on the issue of wages, calling on SNCF management to reopen negotiations due to the weakness of their proposals. The CGT-Cheminots described the management’s proposals as “indecent and contemptuous” in view of the accumulated salary dispute.

The unions have until November 22th evening to sign the agreement, but without a majority, SNCF did not ensure that it would be applied entirely if no majority is achieved. Last year was an exception as only CFDT-Cheminots signed an agreement on 2023 salaries despite not having a majority, but still SNCF applied planned measures