Following three separate derailments in three days, two of them deadly, Spanish train engine drivers are planning a nationwide strike to protest the “unacceptable” deterioration of the country’s railway system.
The Spanish Union of Railway Drivers (SEMAF) announced on Wednesday that it will call a general strike in the sector following the tragic deaths of two train drivers in Adamuz (Córdoba) and Gelida (Barcelona) in two of three train derailments that have occurred since Sunday.
In a press release, SEMAF labelled the constant deterioration of the railway system “unacceptable” and called for a general strike to “guarantee the safety and reliability of the network.”
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From Sunday January 18th to Tuesday 20th, there have been three separate train accidents in Spain.
The first derailment and collision between two trains near the southern city of Córdoba has killed at least 42 people.
Two days later in Catalonia, two other incidents. The more serious of the two accidents occurred in the Barcelona town of Gelida, where a commuter train collided with a retaining wall that collapsed onto the tracks, causing the train to derail. One of the train conductors died, and 37 people were injured, five of them seriously.
The other derailment occurred in Girona due to rocks on the tracks caused by bad weather in Catalonia, leading a train to lose an axle upon impact. Fortunately, there were only 10 passengers on board and no injuries were reported.
READ ALSO: Rail safety questioned as Spain reels from twin train disasters
Although no date has yet been set for the strike, sources close to SEMAF explain that the intention is to call a 48-hour strike across Spain’s entire railway network involving all railway workers.
The union is also demanding “criminal accountability for those responsible for ensuring safety on the railway infrastructure” for the two incidents that resulted in fatalities and dozens of injuries.
“It is unacceptable that those who guarantee the daily operation of rail transport should have their physical safety compromised while performing their duties,” the union lamented.
They are also insisting that the Rodalies commuter rail service in Catalonia not be reopened “without sufficient safety guarantees for its operation.”
READ MORE: Catalonia suspends all commuter trains after two more derailments in Spain
Spain’s inter-union railway union (SF) and major trade union UGT will also support this general strike, and have called for it to take place “as soon as possible, complying with legal procedures.”
CCOO, another leading Spanish trade union, added that “it is essential to establish and implement clear and coordinated protocols between Civil Protection, Renfe and Adif, which guarantee the protection of railway personnel in risk situations,”
In recent years, the Spanish government has been attempting to incentivise train travel among Spaniards through discounts and even free commuter travel.
This has proven successful, with a record 537 million across Spain’s railway network in 2024.
However, the larger volume of travellers has come with more chaos when breakdowns and cancellations have occurred, which had led many to already question the capability of Spain’s railway network.
