Between the persistent difficulties at the RATP and the disturbances linked to the social mobilizations against the pension reform, the news is not easy for Clément Beaune.
In an interview published Friday, February 10 in
Le Monde
, the Minister of Transport nevertheless wanted to reassure the French: "The trade union organizations do not intend to disrupt departures on vacation", he affirms, before "
salute
" the trade unions "
guarantors of calm
".
Clément Beaune nevertheless specified that "
there may be strikes in certain public transport networks in Paris or in the provinces
“, Saturday, February 11.
The traffic will thus be disrupted by the striking agents at the RATP, indicates the minister, but not at the SNCF.
While evoking the "
destabilizing Christmas strikes
", during which one train out of three had been canceled by the SNCF, the Minister underlined the improvement in service during the last mobilizations, proof, according to him, "
that we can reconcile respect the right to strike and respect for users
".
Refuting the terms used by Gérald Darmanin and Éric Ciotti, who described strikes as “
hostage taking
”, the Minister clarified his position: “
A strike is not a hostage taking.
Words have meaning.
" Clément Beaune nevertheless admits that efforts must be made to "
better inform users and reduce the impacts
", for example "
by asking public companies to organize themselves so that non-striking agents are more mobilised
”.
As for the question of notice periods of forty-eight hours, “
it is not a taboo
” for the Minister.
“
One thing is certain, the minimum service, with a fixed rate guaranteed by law, I don't believe in it.
Because it is either too low and ineffective, or too high and unconstitutional
,” confides the minister.
Read also Strikes: would it be possible to impose a real minimum service in transport in France?
During this interview, Clément Beaune also discussed more broadly the subject of pensions and that of inflation.
Asked about the motorway tariff and a possible effort on the part of concession companies to mitigate the price increase, the Minister recalled that "
motorway companies will have to contribute financially to the ecological transition
": "
We will discuss this in the coming months, without any taboos, including on the tax level
".
As for the concessions model, which expires at the beginning of the 2030s, the minister expressed the executive's desire to "
work on it now
": "
We will launch public work in the spring with parliamentarians , economists, non-governmental organisations, motorway companies themselves, on the future of concessions.
Should the road still finance the road in the future, or should tolls finance rail transport in particular?
We need to build another model
,” maintains Clément Beaune.