France to reform national railway in face of union protests

PARIS, March 14 (KUNA) -- In the latest major reform under President Emmanuel Macron, the French Cabinet approved on Wednesday a programe using "Presidential Decree" to tackle reforms at the debt-laden national railway and alleviate some of its Euros 50 billion (USD 62 billion in debts).
The reforms at the State-owned SNCF aim to get better efficiency and staff performance and also provide a better service for travellers, according to a report in the Cabinet meeting Wednesday.
For the time being, there is no question of privatisation of the national railway, a move that has been partially carried out in other European countries.
The use of decree by the President will ensure there is not lengthy parliamentary debate or obstacles to the planned reforms, which should be pushed through in five or six months.
Macron already used this unusual practice to push through reforms in the labour market last year.
Unions at the SNCF say they will strike for a whole month to protest the reforms and they complain they have not been consulted by the government on changes planned for operational management or for dealing with difficult issues as personnel status.
One of the key reforms planned is to remove the "special status" of entry-level railway workers which allows them to retire in their 50s, several years ahead of many other parts of the workforce.
Also the Cabinet document indicated that the government needs to make the SNCF more competitive in view of European Union rules that open up French rail sectors to foreign competition in the coming years. France is expected to face stiff competition in particular from the Deutschebahn, German rail operator, among others.
A nationwide strike by rail workers is being called on March 22, when unions will demonstrate throughout France against the reforms, and will surely draw up a strategy for more and longer strike action. (end) jk.mb