The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has set mandatory minimum services for the general strike day called by several unions, including CCOO and UGT, for this Wednesday, 11.
With this resolution, the department seeks to ensure the average circulation of 73% of Renfe’s High-Speed and Long-Distance trains, 72.7% of Iryo’s, and 69.23% of Ouigo’s.
In the Madrid Suburban rail networks managed by the General State Administration, a provision of 75% of the usual service is established during peak hours—for Renfe, from 06.00 to 09.00 hours, from 13.30 to 15.30 hours, and from 18.30 to 20.30 hours—and 50% during the rest of the day.
For conventional and high-speed Medium-Distance services of Renfe, an average coverage of 65% has been determined, while, in the case of rail freight transport, essential services are set at 26% of the scheduled runs.
111 High-Speed and Long-Distance trains cancelled
In the overall High-Speed and Long-Distance traffic operated by Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo in Spain, of 403 trains planned or affected for that day, 292 will run as essential minimum services, 72.46% of the total, which implies the cancellation of 111 trains, 27.54%.
In Renfe, in the High-Speed and Long-Distance segment, of the 333 commercial runs of an ordinary day, the government resolution protects 73%, which means that 242 trains will run and 91 will be cancelled.
In the case of Iryo, of 44 planned runs with a potential demand of 20,284 travelers, the departure of 32 trains is guaranteed, 72.7%, while 12 services are cancelled, with a forecast of 5,532 users affected, 27.3%.
In Ouigo, of the 26 planned runs with a potential capacity of 12,433 seats, a coverage of 69.23% has been set through the mandatory circulation of 18 trains. In this way, eight runs are suspended, with a directly estimated impact on 3,457 passengers, 27.8%.
Suburban rail, Medium-Distance, and freight
For Suburban rail, minimum services are organized to protect the time slots with the highest demand. In Madrid and in the areas of Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia, Castile and León, Seville, Cádiz, Málaga, Valencia, Murcia and Zaragoza, 75% is established during peak hour—between 06.00 and 09.00 hours, 13.30/14.00 to 15.30/16.00 hours, and 18.30 to 20.30 hours—and 50% during off-peak hours.
In Asturias on line C2, coverage in off-peak hours is reduced to 30%. The resolution also recalls that the regulation of minimum services in Rodalies de Cataluña and in the Cercanías of the Basque Country is the responsibility of their respective regional governments.
On Renfe’s Medium-Distance trains, out of 641 affected services, 417 will run as minimum services, 65%, with 224 departures suspended.
In Renfe Mercancías, the operation of 56 trains is expected out of a total of 217 affected, which represents 26% of services, with the aim of ensuring the critical supply of steel products, automotive, dangerous goods, fuels, agri-food raw materials, and the removal of municipal solid waste in Galicia (Sogama).
More than 6,800 employees mobilized at Adif, Renfe and private operators
To ensure the operability and safety of the rail network during the 24-hour strike, the Secretariat of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility has also determined the minimum staff needed in each entity and operator.
At Adif, 2,589 workers have been assigned to minimum services for the night shifts of this Tuesday, 10 November, and for the three shifts of Wednesday, 11 November, out of a workforce of 12,771 employees called to the strike. These personnel are responsible for command and train movement positions, corrective maintenance of track and facilities, electrical remote control systems, and safety in stations.
In the Renfe Group, 4,123 employees must work, which is equivalent to 30.47% of the workforce called to the strike.
At Ouigo, 114 professionals are mobilized, 53.52% of staff with the planned shift, of whom 19 are train drivers, 54 onboard crew, 13 belong to the operations center, and 28 to the central services.
At Iryo, 33 operations and onboard workers have been declared essential, which represents 67.35% of the operational standard.