jeudi 21 juin 2007
So, after a whole month of NOT being on strike, the SNCF (national train company) decided enough was enough and went back on strike again.
Why? because the new president, Sarkozy, wants to pass a law mandating a minimum service for commuters when the public transportation is on strike, and require that they give 48 hour advance notice that they will strike? So the SNCFs response? STRIKE!
I was coming back home on Tuesday evening, and at the first stop the train just sits there for about 30 minutes. No explanations. No announcements. No "We are sorry, but we are experiencing technical difficulties" or "We have to wait while the track up ahead clears." Nothing. I was so frustrated and hot and tired after a long day of work, I just started crying on the train.
Not big boohoos, but a quiet sniffling in my corner (nobody else in my area). I probably would have cried more, but I didn't want to look too pathetic.
Crying BECAUSE of public transportation is a new and exciting experience. Crying ON public transportation I have done before. Just broke up with a guy, or don't want to go back to a certain military school after vacation, things like that. But tears of frustration are new.
The news said that they have been on strike 40 days in the past 3 months. Fantastic. So now I am back to getting up even earlier to take an earlier train. T
he train to come back at night, which is supposed to leave at 6:49 is now often 30 minutes late. Thanks for adding an extra hour to my 12 hour days SNCF! Still lovin' ya and so glad I paid for a monthly pass!
(Top picture, Marseille Blancarde station. Notice the time)
(Middle picture, tried to take a picture of the board with all the Trains Supprimé)
(Bottom picture, Aubagne station 7 a.m.)
Why? because the new president, Sarkozy, wants to pass a law mandating a minimum service for commuters when the public transportation is on strike, and require that they give 48 hour advance notice that they will strike? So the SNCFs response? STRIKE!
I was coming back home on Tuesday evening, and at the first stop the train just sits there for about 30 minutes. No explanations. No announcements. No "We are sorry, but we are experiencing technical difficulties" or "We have to wait while the track up ahead clears." Nothing. I was so frustrated and hot and tired after a long day of work, I just started crying on the train.
Not big boohoos, but a quiet sniffling in my corner (nobody else in my area). I probably would have cried more, but I didn't want to look too pathetic.Crying BECAUSE of public transportation is a new and exciting experience. Crying ON public transportation I have done before. Just broke up with a guy, or don't want to go back to a certain military school after vacation, things like that. But tears of frustration are new.
The news said that they have been on strike 40 days in the past 3 months. Fantastic. So now I am back to getting up even earlier to take an earlier train. T
he train to come back at night, which is supposed to leave at 6:49 is now often 30 minutes late. Thanks for adding an extra hour to my 12 hour days SNCF! Still lovin' ya and so glad I paid for a monthly pass!(Top picture, Marseille Blancarde station. Notice the time)
(Middle picture, tried to take a picture of the board with all the Trains Supprimé)
(Bottom picture, Aubagne station 7 a.m.)
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4 commentaires:
I feel for you, Megan. I have a feeling this may be just the start for the SNCF strikes... If only they could come to some kind of agreement, but these people never seem to be happy. They always want something MORE, more, more. And maybe I'm being a bit presumptious, because I honestly don't know all the facts, but my understanding is that overall they are paid well and they are so protected by the government in general. So why do they have to make the world miserable to make their supposed "point" -- time after time? Probably because they CAN strike. I'm all for making your voice be heard, and expressing your opinion, but there has to be a limit or a line drawn somewhere.
I'm dreading the day when it hits the région parisienne again... Probably very soon! And at the most inopportune moment.
Hang in there; things can only get better!
How could you have not wanted to return to milschool :-)
Trains were on strike for Normandy this weekend too! So I was late getting to Le Havre on Friday night. Apparently hardly any train has been ON TIME lately. And people were NOT happy!
But it wouldn't be France without a strike of some kind.