The Spanish Union of Railway Engineers (Semaf) has called two new strike days at Renfe for November 10 and 12. The first will be a full-day strike and the second will have partial stoppages throughout the day, in a week that also includes the general strike called for Wednesday, November 11 by Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and the General Union of Workers (UGT).
The announcement comes after the engineers' strike held this Thursday in the public railway group, one day after the Urda accident in Toledo. Semaf considers the mobilization a success; Renfe has estimated its follow-up at 26.6%.
The new calls place railway transport before three consecutive days of possible alterations. Semaf's stoppages correspond to the engineers' conflict with Renfe, while the general strike on November 11 has its own demands, focused on salaries, housing, and prices.
For travelers, it remains to be seen how the calls will affect each service. No list of canceled trains for the new stoppages or applicable minimum services has been announced, nor have the time slots for the partial strike on the 12th been specified.
Semaf denounces the blocking of the safety agreement
The union places the origin of the conflict in the agreement it signed on February 9 with the Ministry of Transport and the heads of Renfe and Adif, after the railway accident in Adamuz, Córdoba. The pact allowed the cancellation of strikes planned for the 10th and 11th of that month.
Among the commitments was the creation of working groups to develop and apply new rules and procedures aimed at improving safety. Semaf denounces that, since April, meetings have been repeatedly postponed and that negotiations continue without progress.
"In October, we confirmed that everything remains exactly at the same point," said the union's general secretary, Diego Martín. In his opinion, the lack of results is due to the absence of "real commitment to safety".
The demands also include limiting the time new recruits remain as interns, increasing staff protection against run-overs, and establishing action procedures for breakdowns and emergencies. Semaf also demands that technical deficiencies in some trains, such as those of series 106, be resolved.
Renfe maintains a different version regarding the fulfillment of the agreement. The company assures that it has executed all the obligations it assumed and maintains that other issues raised by the union are outside its competence. It also defends that it has reinforced maintenance and personnel hiring.
Today's strike and the tragic accident in Urda
This Thursday's strike day had been called on October 16, before the collision in Urda between a Renfe AVE and an Iryo train, which has left a provisional balance of 69 fatalities. After the accident, Semaf conveyed its support to the victims and their families and confirmed that it maintained the strike to demand structural improvements in railway safety.
The strike has caused cancellations and alterations in different services. In a balance released during the day, Renfe reported the cancellation of six of the 48 commercial trains scheduled as minimum services, including high-speed and long-distance connections. The company also reported incidents in Cercanías, Rodalies, and Media Distancia.
Added to these alterations is the interruption of high-speed service between Madrid and Andalusia due to the accident, a cut distinct from the strike. Renfe has announced an alternative transport plan starting this Friday to facilitate travel along the corridor while circulation remains suspended.
