Railway passenger numbers in Luxembourg are on the rise, according to Marc Wengler, General Manager of the Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL).
Speaking on Wednesday evening at the Union of Luxembourg Railway Workers’ (SYPROLUX) congress, Wengler revealed that double-digit growth is again expected for 2024, although it will fall short of the 30% increase recorded in the previous year.
Meanwhile, construction activity on the rail network has reached unprecedented levels, posing challenges not only for passengers but also for CFL employees. Representing the interests of railway workers, SYPROLUX President Mylène Bianchy underscored the union’s commitment to defending its members during her address.
Bianchy and her team did not shy away from addressing critical issues, including safety concerns on public transport. In 2023, CFL recorded 173 incidents of aggression, the majority of which were verbal assaults. These incidents also included ten cases of threats and 26 cases of physical violence.
“One might consider these figures in the context of the 28.7 million passengers carried and conclude that the average is not alarming,” Bianchy noted. “However, that would be a mistake.”
She emphasised that any act of aggression – whether verbal or physical – is one too many. Attempting to relativise such behaviour statistically, she argued, would amount to accepting violence as inevitable. “At that point, we have not only lost but also failed,” Bianchy stated firmly.
SYPROLUX is urging stronger measures to combat violence against CFL employees, advocating for better support for workers who are victims of assaults. The union is calling for such incidents to be formally recognised as workplace accidents.
“None of us deserve to be victimised a second time,” Bianchy emphasised. She criticised the practice of accident insurance providers dismissing certain cases – for instance, when a worker is spat on – on the grounds that it does not cause bodily harm and therefore does not qualify as a workplace accident. “This approach suggests that what happens to our colleagues after an attack is of no concern to the Accident Insurance Association (AAA),” Bianchy said.
Bianchy described this stance as deeply disrespectful, particularly at a time when mental health is gaining wider recognition. The union is calling on political leaders to support victims by ensuring justice is served. SYPROLUX proposes that assaults on CFL employees be treated with the same severity as those on police officers or members of the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS), where such incidents are classified as insults to state officials.
Beyond safety concerns, CFL faces broader challenges in retaining and attracting staff. While the company hired 515 new employees in 2023, Bianchy pointed out that this does not equate to a net increase in staff. Many employees, she noted, are considering leaving the organisation.
“This should concern not just the union but also CFL management,” Bianchy said. “A fair analysis would reveal that the company has become less attractive, particularly for lower-level positions.”
Absenteeism is another pressing issue, with CFL’s rate at 6%, exceeding the national average by 1%. SYPROLUX attributes this partly to understaffing, emphasising that hiring alone is not enough-employees must also feel valued and supported.
Despite these challenges, the CFL general manager acknowledged the dedication of his staff. For the past six years, surveys have been carried out among passengers to find out how satisfied they are with the CFL. Wengler stated that he had just received the results of the latest survey and expressed pride in the positive feedback employees received from passengers.
