The General President of the UMIH of the Gironde denounces the “racial crime” from the company prioritizing TGV links with the Alps.

A strike by SNCF controllers disrupts rail traffic over the weekend of February 17 and 18.

Frank Chaumes, general president of the Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH) of the Gironde condemned “Face crime” While SNCF has decided to prioritize TGV links to the Alps amid a controller strike.

“It shocks me deeply because I believe it is a racial crime. (…) Why do we prefer the mountains to the sea or the South-West?”he asked on Franceinfo this Saturday.

In the middle of the crossover week, 150,000 SNCF users will not be able to use the train to get to their vacation spots. The controllers’ strike leads to the elimination of one of the two TGVs. “We must now take restrictions at government level and impose, like other European countries, a period where strikes are prohibited”, guess Frank Chaums. He calls on the Govt “Take responsibility. We are not here to be hostages. I remind you that tourism is the leading French economy”He clarified.

“It’s getting unbearable!”

It is difficult for the moment to assess the consequences of this strike for tourism stakeholders in the Southwest: “You have cancellations, but some still try to come on their own”That explains. “Obviously we are not charging people who have booked and those who have been affected by this transport issue, they will be compensated”It emphasizes.

SNCF controllers are requesting to start a discussion on the end of their careers and to take bonuses into account in the calculation of their retirement. “If SNCF has the same difficulty, we are losing 200,000 jobs in France in our business, we invite them to change jobs to come to us and to the construction industry”he quipped.

“It’s getting unbearable! If there was a competition tomorrow, it sure would be different”he concluded.