Rally on 18th of September: RATP also demands a strike

Unions Call for Strike Against 2026 Budget Project

Unions across France have united in a call to action against the 2026 budget project, citing concerns over its potential impact on their working and living conditions. The unions argue that the project is built on a logic of brutal austerity, and they denounce several of its proposed measures.

On September 18, four major trade unions of the RATP (CGT, FO, Unsa Mobility, and CFE-CGC) have announced a joint call for a strike and demonstration day. The RATP unions have expressed particular concern over the opening of the Ile-de-France bus network to competition, a proposal included in the 2026 budget project.

The four RATP unions that announced a comprehensive strike and demonstration action on September 18, 2022, are CGT, UNSA, SUD, and FO. In addition, the Base union, majority among RER drivers, has called for a strike on September 10.

The unions also denounce the reduction of medical expense coverage and the suppression of public holidays in the 2026 budget project. These proposed measures have sparked concern among the unions, who argue that they will negatively impact their members' livelihoods and quality of life.

The Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, has announced that he will not give in to the call to strike in French airports, weighing the threat of new disruptions. However, several other trade union organizations in the transport sector, including CFDT Cheminot (4th union of SNCF) and SNCTA (majority union of French air traffic controllers), have announced they will join the social mobilization on September 18.

The national interunion meeting, attended by various unions (CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, Unsa, FSU, and Solidaires), was the setting for the joint announcement. The unions' call for action is in response to the 2026 budget project, and they maintain that it is essential to protect the rights and well-being of their members.

Despite the Minister's stance, the unions remain resolute in their opposition to the 2026 budget project. The RATP transport company has recently experienced good financial results, which the unions argue should be used to improve working and living conditions rather than implemented in austerity measures. The unions will continue to mobilize and advocate for their members' interests in the coming weeks.