A strike by train drivers on Catalonia’s Rodalies commuter rail network on Tuesday resulted in the cancellation of 41% of minimum service trains scheduled to operate during the stoppage. According to Renfe, 89 out of 215 scheduled trains did not run by 2pm, while 73 of the 143 drivers rostered for minimum service failed to report for duty.
Dispute over railway safety compliance and minimum service enforcement
Rodalies director Òscar Playà reported that minimum service compliance was 50% at 9am, noting that only about 30 of 70 drivers assigned to minimum services had reported by that time. Playà said notifications were sent to drivers via Renfe’s internal communications app
and urged them to meet their minimum service obligations, stating, “We cannot allow this right to mobility to go unguaranteed, as is happening today.” He apologized to passengers for the disruption caused by the strike.
The Semaf union, representing the drivers, denied encouraging members to ignore minimum service requirements. Semaf general secretary Diego Martín claimed all formally notified drivers reported for work and criticized management’s allocation of minimum services as “not adequate” and notifications as issued later than usual. Martín attributed the strike to unresolved railway safety agreements agreed nine months prior.
Catalan President Salvador Illa acknowledged the failure to
meet minimum service requirements and warned that the government would intervene to enforce compliance, stating, “The government has an obligation to act.” He called for a balance between strike rights and maintaining mobility.
Transport Minister and government spokeswoman Sílvia Paneque announced that Renfe would be required to investigate why some drivers had not reported for work recently. The government activated 60 additional buses to assist passengers during cancellations, a step Paneque said could not be pre-scheduled without conflicting with strike rights.
Rail disruption and passenger impact across Catalonia
The strike caused widespread disruption beyond Barcelona. At Sant Vicenç de Calders station, only two of six R2 trains
and three of six R4 trains operated during early strike hours. Regional R15 services to Tarragona were reduced to one out of five scheduled trains. In Lleida, a minimum-service train was cancelled due to driver absence, though high-speed services continued normally.
At Barcelona Sants station, passengers faced delays of up to an hour in queues to obtain refunds or rebook travel alternatives after cancellations affected commuter and high-speed services. Passenger Tatiana Trainer criticized the failure to maintain mandated minimum service, saying, “Everyone has the right to strike if our working conditions are not favourable, but they must comply with minimum
services. What they are doing is unforgivable.” Another passenger, Maria Dolores, reported having to find alternative means to reach work due to cancelled trains.
Rodalies advised travelers early on the strike day that diminished services were expected and recommended alternatives. By 6:30am, 60% of minimum service trains had already been cancelled.
Rail safety dispute origins and national context
The strike stems from Semaf’s protests against unfulfilled railway safety commitments reached nine months earlier, focused on regulations, emergency procedures, and operational conditions. Spain’s rail network has faced increased safety scrutiny this year following a second fatal high-speed train crash.
Semaf asserts that negotiations led by the Spanish Transport
Ministry have stalled, prompting the strike. Playà noted the dispute affects commuter rail networks throughout Spain, with some regions experiencing even greater disruption than Catalonia.
Planned ongoing strike action and government response
The November 24-hour strike is the first of two days of industrial action scheduled by Semaf for the week, with another planned two days later on Thursday. Additionally, a general strike expected to impact public transport across Catalonia is scheduled for the following day, Wednesday.
Playà warned passengers to expect continued difficulties and advised planning journeys with alternative transport arrangements. The Catalan government continues to push for negotiations while preparing enforcement actions to ensure minimum
service compliance during strikes.
