The workers who regulate train traffic in Atocha want the investigation of the Urda accident to also look at the conditions under which decisions are made in the control room. The Railway Traffic Union (SCF) plans to take its claims to the conflict committee, where the company and the workers’ representatives meet, with the intention of calling a strike, according to La Razón.
The protest comes after the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, described as erroneous the decision to authorize the AVE to resume its journey normally when another train, from Iryo, was still stopped on the Madrid-Seville line. The LZB safety system had stopped working before the control center gave that order. Puente denies having attributed responsibility for the tragedy to the employees. The controllers consider that they have been singled out while the causes of the collision are still unclear.
The warning the union made before the accident
The SCF had already denounced before October 28 that in Atocha there were positions and shifts left uncovered, especially those of complementary activities. The union described a concrete consequence: when there was a shortage of staff, workers could not always take the mandatory breaks during the hours of monitoring screens.
The group puts the staff shortfall at 20% compared with the workforce it considers necessary to work under optimal safety conditions. It also denounces pressure to restore circulation as quickly as possible after an incident and avoid compensation for delays. These are labor complaints: by themselves they do not establish what caused the Urda accident.
What is known about the stoppages and how they may affect travelers
What is planned for this week is the announcement of the stoppages. There is still no strike schedule for the controllers or specific trains that may be considered affected. The group itself expects a limited impact on circulation because, as it explains to La Razón, the usual minimum services keep those who regulate traffic at their posts. The protest could indeed affect authorizations to carry out certain works on the tracks.
For anyone who has a trip planned in November, there are two different strike calls. The one being prepared by Adif controllers still has no date. The stoppages on November 10 and 12 are indeed called, but they correspond to Renfe train drivers: the Semaf union has announced a full day of strike on the 10th and partial stoppages on the 12th.