The union Semaf has called a 24-hour strike by Renfe drivers for 29 October, from 00:01 to 23:59. The industrial action will affect all driving staff across every company in the Renfe Group and follows the failure of prior proceedings at the Conflicts Committee.
According to the union, at a meeting held on Friday with the Ministry of Transport, Adif, the State Railway Safety Agency (AESF) and Renfe, it was confirmed that agreements already signed remain administratively blocked. Semaf lists among the stalled issues railway safety, protocols for weather emergencies, the recruitment of new drivers, support following person-on-track incidents and rolling stock reliability.
The union maintains that the situation remains “just as stalled” as it was in May, despite having registered the dispute with the Conflicts Committee on 5 October. In its statement, it accuses the administration and the companies of relying on bureaucratic delays to coordinate the various bodies involved.
Semaf’s demands
Among the union’s demands are the implementation of binding protocols for weather alerts, with clear coordination of communications during risk situations. Semaf considers that the urgency of maintaining services must not take precedence over safety.
The organisation is also calling for the effective application of the so-called Just Culture, to prevent the automatic search for culprits among drivers following incidents, and for the opening of a direct channel between the unions, the AESF and the Labour Inspectorate. It also calls for definitive solutions to reliability and safety problems affecting rolling stock.
On employment matters, Semaf demands the correct application of the breaks in driving time provided for in Article 36 of Royal Decree 929/2020, the unblocking of the age-related retirement reduction coefficients regulated by Royal Decree 2621/1986, and the application of the 7 May agreement to new intakes of drivers. It also defends keeping intact the protocol for supporting workers affected by a person-on-track incident, agreed in 1990.
Renfe says it has complied
Renfe has rejected the accusation of non-compliance and maintains that it has fully implemented the measures for which it was responsible under the agreement of 9 February, reached after the Adamuz accident and which allowed strikes planned for 10 and 11 February to be called off. The company says that, of the 24 remaining measures outside its remit, 17 have already been implemented and progress is continuing on the seven outstanding items through administrative, regulatory and technical procedures.
On employment, Renfe points to an additional recruitment quota of up to 1,200 employees. According to the company, the territorial and functional mobility processes preceding the public employment calls have been completed, with all calls now issued and staff either in training, joining the company or already recruited.
The state-owned operator also highlights progress in maintenance: the insourcing of activities, the strengthening of its in-house workforce and the tendering of a new high-speed train contract with maintenance assigned to Fabricación y Mantenimiento, which it again refers to as Integria. Renfe adds that the agreed maintenance of the Class 452 and 453 units has been brought in-house, and that maintenance workload has been increased for the Class 104 and for multiple units at several depots.
Disagreement over scope
Renfe considers that many of Semaf’s demands exceed its competence and depend on other bodies. It cites as examples the regulatory amendment of driving time, retirement reduction coefficients and the creation of channels with the Labour Inspectorate.
The company says it has applied its own weather-alert procedure since March and that Semaf acknowledged its effectiveness at the meeting, although the union seeks to extend it to other companies. Renfe also maintains that working groups have been created on temporary speed restrictions, weather alerts, training, safety culture and sector-wide coordination.
Regarding recruitment, Renfe states that none of the 402 drivers recruited is on a traineeship, and that the 137 most recent recruits are undergoing one month of training before being employed. It also denies that the 1990 agreement on support following person-on-track incidents remains in force, considering that it was superseded by the tenth collective agreement of the former Renfe.
Potential impact on passengers
The strike could affect Renfe-operated Cercanías commuter, Media Distancia regional, long-distance and high-speed services, depending on the level of participation and the minimum service levels set by the Ministry of Transport. No cancellations or specific timetable changes have yet been announced.
The strike call comes one day before the start of the industrial action called by Semaf at Ouigo, with 24-hour stoppages on 30 October and 2 November, plus four partial stoppages in November and December.