Delays as rail workers go on strike

Passengers reported some delays, fewer trains than usual, and uncertainty on Monday as Renfe railway operator workers went on strike, according to the Catalan News Agency.

Meanwhile, sources in the public company said that the stoppages did not cause any major disruption of the service and that the established minimum services were being provided.

Rail workers were called to strike by the CCOO trade union after talks with the company on salaries and a reduction of working hours stalled.

The union has already warned that if the talks continue to be “deadlocked,” it does not rule out more protest action over the whole of the summer.

While Renfe says the strike has been joined by 6% of its workers, the union says that 70% of the staff able to join the stoppage did not turn up for work.

Minimum service

The union also complained that some employees who wanted to strike were forced to fulfill the “abusive minimum services.”

For commuter trains, the government has set a minimum of 66% of the service at peak hours (6am to 9.30am and 5pm to 8pm), with 33% the rest of the day.

For long-distance and high-speed trains, at least two out of three trains have to run, according to the minimum service established.