The unions voted unanimously against the projections of the SNCF plans to cut about 1,200 jobs in 2017, 0.8% of the workforce by not replacing thosr who are retiring. These forecasts were presented to trade unions yesterday afternoon at the central committee of the public railway group. Although they have a negative opinion, it is only advisory.
Since 2003, more than 26,000 departures of staff retiring, have not been replaced at the SNCF, which has a total of 150,000 employees. Last year, the draft 2016 budget had planned 1,400 job cuts (-1%).
“Every year positions are removed and this translates into a decline in the quality of public service and overdue agents”, denounced Roland Fourneray, union representative of CGT.
According to him, the announced figures have varied during the day with a forecast of 1,315 job cuts “on the written materials, and speakers who gave a figure a little lower.”
He noted that forecasts rarely correspond to the balance sheet at the end the year, often higher. Thus, in 2016, 1,400 cuts were announced, but the actual number is closer to 2,000 to date.
South, for its part, anticipates 4,000 fewer jobs and describes the budget as “the worst […] never saw on the train.”
The President of the SNCF, Guillaume Pepy, explained to reporters in June that “each year SNCF made 2% productivity gains” in its rail business, equivalent to 2,500 to 3,000 jobs.
According to figures announced by the committee, at least 1,150 retirements will not be replaced in 2017, including 285 in the holding EPIC SNCF, which oversees the branches and SNCF Network Mobility.
After a difficult year, marked by strikes of spring, Mobility expects a turnover of 14.8 billion euros in 2016, 3.1% below the forecasts of the group, but expects a rebound to 3.6 % in 2017 to 15.3 billion, thanks to new high-speed lines to Nantes, Bordeaux and Montpellier.
