The rescue of the Fret SNCF soldier, who is threatened by Brussels with having to repay more than 5 billion euros in public aid, will require a lot of sacrifices. On Tuesday, Transport Minister Clément Beaune set out his plan to prevent the European Commission from imposing a penalty that would lead to the liquidation of this company, which is 100% owned by SNCF. This consists of creating a company that has no connection with Fret SNCF. So she will have a different name. It will always be public, that is to say controlled in the majority by the SNCF.
On the other hand, around the table, we could find a minority shareholder. Preferably public, although it could also be private. This new rail freight transport operator will not have the same scope as Fret SNCF. It will keep 80% of the activity. That is, all trains that transport goods for several different customers.
On the other hand, this new company will have to cede to competitors (Europorte, ECR, etc.) the markets for trains that transport goods for a single shipper. That is about 20% of Fret SNCF turnover. As a result, 470 positions will be eliminated.
There will be no layoffs. The railway workers will be reclassified in other subsidiaries of the railway group (SNCF Voyageurs, SNCF Réseau, etc.). Another option: if they are volunteers, they will be able to join the operators who will recover these markets and who will therefore need staff, and in particular train drivers.
By thus showing its credentials, the State hopes to convince Brussels by the end of the year not to impose a penalty on Fret SNCF. To show that rail freight remains a priority, he promises to invest an additional 4 billion between 2023 and 2032 in dedicated infrastructure (piggyback marshalling yards, renovation of rail tunnels, etc.).
Not enough to convince the unions. To express their concern, about fifty SUD-rail activists interrupted a conference of transport users on Tuesday with the cry of “The SNCF is not for sale!”.
