The Spanish Railway Machinists Union, known as Semaf, has officially called for five days of strikes in June for the one hundred machinists employed by Ouigo. The union’s decision follows an unsuccessful meeting with company representatives at the Regional Institute of Mediation and Arbitration of Madrid. The strikes are scheduled for the twelfth, thirteenth, twenty-third, and twenty-seventh of June in a partial capacity, with a full strike on the twenty-sixth.

The planned strikes will affect all fifteen destinations serviced by Ouigo, impacting over twenty-two thousand passengers daily. The union claims the strikes are a response to breaches of the employment agreement and will demand the reinstatement of a machinist dismissed unfairly. The strike action is expected to disrupt daily operations, especially during the specified timeframes outlined by the union.

The union attributes the mobilisation to the company’s refusal to comply with the employment agreement, particularly concerning labor relations and disciplinary regulations. Furthermore, they believe the unjustified dismissal of a machinist has highlighted systemic issues regarding workers’ rights within the company. Semaf is pushing for the company’s commitment to uphold the collective agreement and the reinstatement of the terminated employee.

In contrast, Ouigo maintains that the dismissal was justified due to the individual’s repeated unsatisfactory performance and has offered alternative positions unrelated to driving, which the employee declined. Recent cases have demonstrated that the legal system can compel railway operators to reinstate workers, thus adding weight to the union’s demands for the adherence to employment protocols.