The digestion of the public railway service is reaching a new milestone
in 2025. The prospect of a reduction in "public spending" and the
opportunity to challenge social gains are whet capitalist appetites.
Public transport is not spared from being sold off piecemeal. ---- If we
stick to the SNCF alone, we can no longer count the "reforms" undertaken
over the last forty years. They have led to a notorious disorganization
of the railway system and a disintegration of the very meaning of the
work of railway workers. This privatization goes hand in hand with
internal restructuring. In contrast to a century and a half of railway
history, the complementarity between infrastructure management and
transport is over. Instead, absurd customer/supplier relationships are
imposed. This process, which is accelerating, now also concerns public
transport. It is in reality only one aspect of the class struggle, with
its advances or setbacks depending on the balance of power.
Status-K.O
From the 1970s onwards, we witnessed an increase in the number of
railway workers "out of status". On the one hand, with immigrant workers
who were refused status - only the CFDT opposed this discrimination at
the time. On the other hand, with the hiring of part-time contract
staff, particularly in sales departments. Struggles for equal rights and
permanent employment allowed for progress and slowed down employer
attacks. But the majority union passivity led to numerous subsidiaries
and transfers to subcontracting. To conclude with the end of the status
for all hires at the SNCF from January 1, 2020.
After 1995, the Chirac government, with Bernard Pons and Anne-Marie
Idrac, Minister and Secretary of State for Transport, organized the
breakup of the railway system, by separating the management of the
infrastructure (creation of Réseau ferré de France) and rail transport
(SNCF). However, by definition, in the railway system, infrastructure
and operation are totally linked and interdependent. Creating two
entities that defend opposing interests can only lead to a weakening of
quality and safety. But above all, it is a question of breaking up the
railway workers' social body, after the long strike of November-December
95. At that time, only the CFDT and SUD-Rail refused this solution,
explaining its absurdity and dangers. The CGT refuses to organize action
against this law, which it even initially presents as an achievement of
the 1995 strike.
Two years later, under the left-wing government of the PS/PCF/Les Verts,
the Minister of Transport J.C. Gayssot (PCF) presents a "reform of the
reform" which, in fact, ratifies the Chirac/Pons/Idrac law.
The incessant restructuring has had devastating effects. 15 years ago,
the SUD-Rail federation noted that "SNCF freight traffic has fallen
below that of the railway companies... in 1911!" Since then, the fall
has worsened.
As for passenger transport: delays, train cancellations, deserted
stations, unprovided connections, opaque fares... A deterioration that
no one disputes. The solution? More privatization! Since it didn't work
for Freight, we are being asked to do the same thing for passenger traffic!
And meanwhile at the RATP...
The privatization, called "putting into competition", also affects the
Autonomous Paris Transport Authority. According to a schedule that spans
about twenty years, everything is affected: each bus, RER, tram, and
metro line in Île-de-France will be subject to a call for tenders. As
with the SNCF, the RATP will be able to respond to calls for tenders.
But on condition that dedicated entities are created where workers'
rights will be revised downwards. As the SNCF does on networks in other
countries, the RATP company will thus be able to "win markets" elsewhere
than in Île-de-France. It would then no longer be responsible for
ensuring public transport in the Paris region in the best possible
conditions (which it does not do properly due to lack of resources), but
for generating profits throughout France and even worldwide.
"talking points" and political choices
However, things are simple. Rail transport of goods and passengers and
public transport meet a collective need, a social, ecological and
economic necessity. It must therefore be provided by a public service
with the means to assume this mission. By definition, this cannot be
the objective of private companies whose function is to generate
financial profits for their shareholders. In other words, to defend the
interests of a minority, including against the needs of the community.
Through their work, workers create collective wealth, in the form of
products and services. Since no one works for us, no one decides for us!
Who better than the employees in the sector knows how to make this
activity work? Why be managed by profiteers who go from company to
company to plunder the common good? Direct management of the public
service by those who make it exist is possible. Is it difficult to
implement? Probably because everything is done in capitalist society to
make us believe that we are not capable of this. But what can we say
about the magnificent successes of these "leaders" who have been
destroying public goods for years! Let's take back control of the public
rail service and that of public transport: with our professional and
interprofessional union organizations, it is up to us to decide, as
workers in the sector as well as users.
Christian (UCL Paris banlieue sud-est)
What is the railway group today?
It is structured around a parent company or holding company, the public
limited company "SNCF SA". This includes other SAs and private law
subsidiaries[1]. All this feeds off a multitude of sub-subsidiaries, the
break-up going as far as creating subsidiaries line by line to respond
to the calls for tenders that are multiplying. Because, and this is a
major point that must be understood in order to fight better, the
employers have no problem with it being "the SNCF Group" that wins
markets. What they need is opportunities to destroy social gains. And
the SNCF management is doing it with zeal.
The four public limited companies form what is called the Unified Public
Group (GPU) of the railway sector, of which the Simplified Joint Stock
Company (SAS) Fret SNCF is no longer a part. In short, a Group that is
less and less public, unified and railway! The multinational SNCF has
283,000 employees. 115,000 are in the GPU and only two thirds are on the
Statute. To give you an idea, 40 years ago there were 245,000. Traffic,
on the other hand, has not decreased.
The employers' branch of the railway sector has 150,000 employees. But
"forgetting" entire sectors[2]who are still denied access to the
sector's collective agreement.
Validate
[1]SNCF Voyageurs, SNCF Réseau and SNCF Gares et connexions; GEODIS and
Rail Logistics Europe (for freight), KEOLIS (for passenger transport).
[2]Railway catering, railway cleaning, station reception, prevention and
security in railway installations, etc.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Service-public-ferroviaire-et-transport-en-commun-Le-capitalisme-des-rails
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
in 2025. The prospect of a reduction in "public spending" and the
opportunity to challenge social gains are whet capitalist appetites.
Public transport is not spared from being sold off piecemeal. ---- If we
stick to the SNCF alone, we can no longer count the "reforms" undertaken
over the last forty years. They have led to a notorious disorganization
of the railway system and a disintegration of the very meaning of the
work of railway workers. This privatization goes hand in hand with
internal restructuring. In contrast to a century and a half of railway
history, the complementarity between infrastructure management and
transport is over. Instead, absurd customer/supplier relationships are
imposed. This process, which is accelerating, now also concerns public
transport. It is in reality only one aspect of the class struggle, with
its advances or setbacks depending on the balance of power.
Status-K.O
From the 1970s onwards, we witnessed an increase in the number of
railway workers "out of status". On the one hand, with immigrant workers
who were refused status - only the CFDT opposed this discrimination at
the time. On the other hand, with the hiring of part-time contract
staff, particularly in sales departments. Struggles for equal rights and
permanent employment allowed for progress and slowed down employer
attacks. But the majority union passivity led to numerous subsidiaries
and transfers to subcontracting. To conclude with the end of the status
for all hires at the SNCF from January 1, 2020.
After 1995, the Chirac government, with Bernard Pons and Anne-Marie
Idrac, Minister and Secretary of State for Transport, organized the
breakup of the railway system, by separating the management of the
infrastructure (creation of Réseau ferré de France) and rail transport
(SNCF). However, by definition, in the railway system, infrastructure
and operation are totally linked and interdependent. Creating two
entities that defend opposing interests can only lead to a weakening of
quality and safety. But above all, it is a question of breaking up the
railway workers' social body, after the long strike of November-December
95. At that time, only the CFDT and SUD-Rail refused this solution,
explaining its absurdity and dangers. The CGT refuses to organize action
against this law, which it even initially presents as an achievement of
the 1995 strike.
Two years later, under the left-wing government of the PS/PCF/Les Verts,
the Minister of Transport J.C. Gayssot (PCF) presents a "reform of the
reform" which, in fact, ratifies the Chirac/Pons/Idrac law.
The incessant restructuring has had devastating effects. 15 years ago,
the SUD-Rail federation noted that "SNCF freight traffic has fallen
below that of the railway companies... in 1911!" Since then, the fall
has worsened.
As for passenger transport: delays, train cancellations, deserted
stations, unprovided connections, opaque fares... A deterioration that
no one disputes. The solution? More privatization! Since it didn't work
for Freight, we are being asked to do the same thing for passenger traffic!
And meanwhile at the RATP...
The privatization, called "putting into competition", also affects the
Autonomous Paris Transport Authority. According to a schedule that spans
about twenty years, everything is affected: each bus, RER, tram, and
metro line in Île-de-France will be subject to a call for tenders. As
with the SNCF, the RATP will be able to respond to calls for tenders.
But on condition that dedicated entities are created where workers'
rights will be revised downwards. As the SNCF does on networks in other
countries, the RATP company will thus be able to "win markets" elsewhere
than in Île-de-France. It would then no longer be responsible for
ensuring public transport in the Paris region in the best possible
conditions (which it does not do properly due to lack of resources), but
for generating profits throughout France and even worldwide.
"talking points" and political choices
However, things are simple. Rail transport of goods and passengers and
public transport meet a collective need, a social, ecological and
economic necessity. It must therefore be provided by a public service
with the means to assume this mission. By definition, this cannot be
the objective of private companies whose function is to generate
financial profits for their shareholders. In other words, to defend the
interests of a minority, including against the needs of the community.
Through their work, workers create collective wealth, in the form of
products and services. Since no one works for us, no one decides for us!
Who better than the employees in the sector knows how to make this
activity work? Why be managed by profiteers who go from company to
company to plunder the common good? Direct management of the public
service by those who make it exist is possible. Is it difficult to
implement? Probably because everything is done in capitalist society to
make us believe that we are not capable of this. But what can we say
about the magnificent successes of these "leaders" who have been
destroying public goods for years! Let's take back control of the public
rail service and that of public transport: with our professional and
interprofessional union organizations, it is up to us to decide, as
workers in the sector as well as users.
Christian (UCL Paris banlieue sud-est)
What is the railway group today?
It is structured around a parent company or holding company, the public
limited company "SNCF SA". This includes other SAs and private law
subsidiaries[1]. All this feeds off a multitude of sub-subsidiaries, the
break-up going as far as creating subsidiaries line by line to respond
to the calls for tenders that are multiplying. Because, and this is a
major point that must be understood in order to fight better, the
employers have no problem with it being "the SNCF Group" that wins
markets. What they need is opportunities to destroy social gains. And
the SNCF management is doing it with zeal.
The four public limited companies form what is called the Unified Public
Group (GPU) of the railway sector, of which the Simplified Joint Stock
Company (SAS) Fret SNCF is no longer a part. In short, a Group that is
less and less public, unified and railway! The multinational SNCF has
283,000 employees. 115,000 are in the GPU and only two thirds are on the
Statute. To give you an idea, 40 years ago there were 245,000. Traffic,
on the other hand, has not decreased.
The employers' branch of the railway sector has 150,000 employees. But
"forgetting" entire sectors[2]who are still denied access to the
sector's collective agreement.
Validate
[1]SNCF Voyageurs, SNCF Réseau and SNCF Gares et connexions; GEODIS and
Rail Logistics Europe (for freight), KEOLIS (for passenger transport).
[2]Railway catering, railway cleaning, station reception, prevention and
security in railway installations, etc.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Service-public-ferroviaire-et-transport-en-commun-Le-capitalisme-des-rails
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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