Minister in last-ditch bid to halt French train strike By Peggy Hollinger in Paris FT, November 21, 2005
Dominique Perben, France’s transport minister, wrote to union leaders yesterday reiterating his pledge not to privatise SNCF, the country’s railway operator, in a lastditch attempt to prevent a strike, which is expected to hit up to two-thirds of the rail network today. “I say to you again, and in the strongest manner possible, that there is no privatisation project for SNCF,” Mr Perben wrote in his fourpage letter to leaders of the four unions that have called for strike action. However, the Confédération Générale du Travail, Sud, FOrce Ouvrière and. FGAAC refuse to believe Mr Perben’s promise. They accuse the government of planning a “rampant privatisation” of SNCF, with plans for pension ‘reform and a restructuring of the company into four divisions, which they believe could presage a piecemeal sale of the company; It is the sixth strike on France’s rail network this year, and marks a further setback to the country’s generally improving record on industrial action. Excluding the exceptionally high level of strikes in 2003, when pension reforms drew protest throughout France, the days lost to industrial action in the transport sector have fallen from 287,664 in 2001 to 157,306 last year. The civil service has seen the number of days lost more than halve since 2001, according to government statistics. For some, the failure, of unions, SNCF management and the government to reach a compromise highlights a severe breakdown in relations between France’s so-called social partners. “There is a ‘total absence of trust,” said Guy Groux, specialist in social relations at Cevipof, the ‘political research institute. “They are not negotiating any more. It. is a power relationship and marks the chronic state of social relations in France.” The strike has been sharply criticised ‘ by France’s business community. Laurence Parisot, the head of the employers’ federation Medef, warned that France’s smaller businesses would be the main victims. “I am not quite clear.what the unions are ‘asking from this strike,” she said. “A transport strike will very quickly and severely hurt our smaller companies. I don’t think this is the right moment.” Louis Gallois, the SNCF chairman, who is attempting to push through reforms to improve productivity, warned earlier this year that strike action would cost the company €25m ($29m, £17m). The ruling UMP party suggested yesterday that if the previous voluntary accord with unions - which guarantees a minimum service on the transport network - does not work today, it would lobby for a law instituting the agreement.
