French Public Services Face Disruptions Amid Interprofessional Strike

A nationwide interprofessional strike in France is causing widespread disruptions across transportation networks and public services, as labor unions mobilize to demand wage increases and protest government budget cuts. Major transport operators, including the SNCF and RATP, have released initial traffic forecasts detailing service reductions ahead of the industrial action.

The 24-hour strike call was issued jointly by four major railway unions—CGT, Unsa Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail, and CFDT—joining a broader interprofessional coalition that includes FO and FSU. Workers are protesting the erosion of purchasing power due to inflation, alongside reductions in public sector employment and funding.

While the RATP reported that metro, tramway, and bus services in the Île-de-France region will largely operate normally, the RER B line, operated jointly with the SNCF, is expected to face significant disruptions. The national railway company announced that TGV high-speed services will experience minor delays, while regional TER trains, Intercités, and Parisian suburban lines will face severe cuts.

In addition to rail transportation, regional public transit systems are bracing for impact. In Marseille, the local transport network expects reduced services, with tram lines T2 and T3 at risk of being interrupted in the downtown area along the route of the planned demonstration. Similar actions are anticipated in Lyon, where transport employees have also voted to join the movement.

Air travel could likewise be affected as aviation unions, including FO, USAC-CGT, SUD Aérien, and Unsa Aérien, have filed strike notices. The Directorate General for Civil Aviation is reviewing participation rates to determine whether airlines will be ordered to trim their flight schedules.

Public offices and social administration agencies are also feeling the effects of the mobilization. While essential financial disbursements, such as payments from family allowance offices like the Caisse d'allocations familiales, are scheduled to be maintained, certain public reception centers and local offices will close their doors to the public for the day.

Authorities have advised travelers and citizens to check updated schedules online before attempting to commute, and recommended teleworking where possible. Detailed line-by-line traffic estimates and contingency plans are being finalized by operators as the strike gets underway.