Strike Chaos Hits Malaga's Train Services As Renfe And Adif Down Tools During Peak Season
Spain News
Published: 27 June 2023 12:50 CET
Updated: 26 July 2023 12:50 CET
The CGT union has called for four days of industrial action, set to impact rail services throughout Malaga province in the upcoming weeks. The strikes, scheduled to take place on 28 and 30 June, and 5 and 7 July, will affect the local Cercanías services, as well as the high-speed AVE and Media Distancia trains, coinciding with the start of the high tourist season.
The primary motive behind the strikes is the demand for improved working conditions from state rail operator Renfe and infrastructure company Adif. The CGT union has initiated two separate strike calls targeting specific aspects of railway operations. The first strike, planned for the aforementioned dates, is aimed at Adif workers responsible for monitoring and directing track signalling.
The second strike, scheduled for 5 July, focuses on Renfe and targets railway workshop employees. According to CGT, the workforce at the Los Prados facility in Malaga consists of approximately 100 employees, which the union deems insufficient to handle the current workload. This maintenance infrastructure is crucial for the upkeep of short and medium-distance trains, as well as AVE trains.
The employees' demands revolve around two key points, the first being the need to hire more staff. CGT alleges that the Ministry of Public Works has declined to replace retired workers in recent years. The second demand centres around implementing a 35-hour working week, with the aim of compensating for the loss of purchasing power experienced by Renfe's public workers.
The strike hours designated for Adif and Renfe workers in Malaga will be split into two slots each day, from 11 am to 3 pm and from 7 pm to 11 pm. Ahead of the imminent strikes, representatives of the workers and Renfe are scheduled to engage in discussions on 27 June in the Sercla, with hopes of reaching an agreement.
The forthcoming industrial action poses significant challenges for rail travel in Malaga province, particularly as it coincides with the commencement of the high tourist season.
Travellers and local businesses are bracing themselves for potential disruptions and are closely monitoring developments in the ongoing negotiations between the CGT union and the railway authorities.
Sources
https://www.surinenglish.com/malaga/strikes-renfe-and-adif-threaten-train-travel-20230626114543-nt.html
Image Credit: Hugh Llewelyn, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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