The railway group, SNCF, has proposed an average salary increase of 4.6% for the year 2024, including a 1.8% general increase. Additionally, the company has committed to increasing low wages so that none of them is lower than 1.1 minimum wage and a value-sharing bonus of 400 euros to be paid to the group’s more than 140,000 railway workers. Two major unions, CFDT-Cheminots and Unsa-Ferroviaire, have announced their intention to sign the agreement. However, two other unions, CGT-Cheminots and SUD-Rail are opposed to the agreement.

The CFDT-Cheminots have stated that after consulting members and management structures, they are clear in their decision to sign the agreement. On the other hand, Unsa-Ferroviaire has also indicated that it would also sign the agreement. These unions together weigh 42.67% of the votes against 57.33% for those who are opposed to the agreement.

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

The unions have until November 22 evening to sign the agreement. Without a majority, SNCF did not ensure that it would be applied in its entirety last year when only CFDT-Cheminots signed it; however, despite not having a majority, SNCF applied planned measures nonetheless