Spanish railway workers launch strike over working conditions
Thousands of passengers are stranded across Spain as railway workers take a 24-hour industrial action following failed negotiations to settle ongoing disputes with the national railway operator Renfe Operadora over working conditions.
Employees at Spanish train drivers’ and railway workers’ union, SEMAF, and other units went on strike on Friday in their first of the four planned walkouts this month.
The measure led to the cancellation of a quarter of all commuter and long distance trains.
Renfe Operadora announced that trains will be operating at “minimum service” until Saturday, and that passengers should check travel schedules.
The Madrid-based company added that during peak hours, Cercanias and FEVE rail systems will be operating between 50 and 75 percent of services, while between 33 and 50 percent of the trains will be running at normal hours.
Renfe Operadora further noted that mid-range trains will be operating between 63 and 65 percent, while long-distance trains will be at 72 percent.
Renfe drivers have agreed to stage a strike on September 11, 14 and 15 in protest at the failure of negotiations on working conditions and human resources matters. They are also against the sale of the state-owned company’s cargo branch.
A protest has also been set for September 12 outside Spain’s Ministry of Public Works.
According to estimates by SEMAF and another national workers’ union, the CCOO, Renfe needs 1,125 more employees to address “the serious situation of the lack of maintenance on the company’s trains.”
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