French Railway Workers Launch 48-Hour Strike Over Pension Reform Revival

SNCF services severely disrupted as unions protest Macron government's renewed retirement age proposals

France faces widespread rail disruption today as four major transport unions commenced coordinated strike action opposing government plans to incrementally raise the retirement age for railway workers from 57 to 62 by 2032.

The 48-hour walkout has forced cancellation of approximately 60 percent of high-speed TGV services and 70 percent of regional trains, with Paris commuter lines operating at barely one-third capacity. International services to Belgium, Switzerland, and Spain face significant delays, whilst Eurostar has advised passengers to defer travel until Wednesday.

Transport Minister Clément Beaune insisted the reforms are essential to align railway pensions with broader public sector provisions and address SNCF's mounting pension fund deficit, projected to reach €8.2 billion by 2030 without structural intervention. "We cannot maintain special regimes that are increasingly disconnected from demographic and fiscal realities," Beaune told reporters Monday evening.

Union representatives counter that railway work involves unique physical demands justifying earlier retirement, and accuse the government of reneging on commitments made during 2023's contentious pension negotiations. CGT-Cheminots secretary Laurent Brun warned that industrial action could extend beyond 48 hours if dialogue fails to materialise.

The dispute arrives at a particularly sensitive moment for SNCF, which recently reported its first annual operating profit in five years and is preparing for intensified competition as EU rail liberalisation opens domestic routes to foreign operators. Deutsche Bahn and Trenitalia have both signalled interest in French market entry.

Business groups have expressed frustration at renewed industrial action, with MEDEF estimating each strike day costs the French economy approximately €400 million in lost productivity and disrupted supply chains.

Further negotiations are scheduled for Thursday, though both sides acknowledge significant gaps remain between their positions.