World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
Spanish train drivers plan strike over rail safety commitments
Spanish train drivers’ union Semaf has called a strike for 29 October over rail safety.
The dispute follows the Adamuz crash in Córdoba on 18 January, which killed 46 people and shook confidence among railway workers and passengers.
After that crash, the transport ministry agreed to involve train drivers more in infrastructure and rolling-stock safety, but Semaf says the promised working groups and meetings stalled.
The union wants action on track defects, maintenance, emergency procedures, staffing and the reliability of trains.
It also wants binding rules for trains during severe weather alerts, including clear instructions on when services must stop.
Renfe says it has had a weather protocol since March, but Semaf says it was not informed or consulted.
Minimum service levels are set at 65% for medium-distance trains and 73% for high-speed and long-distance trains.
Negotiations could still lead to the strike being called off, but the union says the dispute concerns commitments made after an earlier strike was suspended.
Spanish train drivers’ union Semaf has called a strike for October 29 over rail safety commitments it says have not been fulfilled.
The union says agreed working groups and safety measures stalled after negotiations with the Transport Ministry.
Its demands include binding procedures for severe weather alerts and clearer rules for stopping trains in dangerous conditions.
The Transport Ministry has set minimum service levels of 65% for medium-distance trains and 73% for high-speed and long-distance trains.
- Who
- Train drivers represented by the Semaf union, alongside other railway unions.
- What
- A strike over what Semaf calls stalled commitments on railway safety and related issues.
- When
- October 29, 2026.
- Where
- Spain.
- Why
- Semaf says agreements on safety, severe-weather procedures, recruitment, incident response and rolling-stock reliability have not been implemented.
Semaf
Renfe and the rail infrastructure manager
Implementation of safety commitments
Semaf
Semaf says agreed measures and working groups stalled and that its technical proposals were not taken into account.
Renfe and the rail infrastructure manager
Renfe says it has had a severe-weather protocol since March; the article says Renfe and the infrastructure manager point to an agreement with Aemet.
Severe-weather train procedures
Semaf
Semaf wants clear, binding rules to stop train movements during dangerous weather.
Renfe and the rail infrastructure manager
Renfe says it has a protocol, while Semaf says it was neither informed nor consulted on it.
The Adamuz accident in Córdoba killed 46 people.
Semaf and other railway unions called three days of strikes, which were called off after negotiations with the Transport Ministry.
Renfe says it had a severe-weather protocol in place.
The Transport Ministry set minimum service levels ahead of the planned strike.
Semaf’s strike is scheduled to take place.
- Strike date
- October 29, 2026
- Adamuz accident
- 46 deaths
- Medium-distance minimum service
- 65%
- High-speed and long-distance minimum service
- 73%
- Union
- Semaf
3 sources
What people are saying
Aquellos compromisos funcionaron, pero enseguida vimos que empezaban a decaer y que las reuniones no se convocaban
Presentábamos propuestas técnicas que no se tenían en cuenta. Había un desinterés que se encubría con la burocracia
pero no se nos informó ni se negoció