ETF Railways

23/04/2026

🚆 United for the workers’ perspective at

​Yesterday, at the ERTMS Conference in Valenciennes, ETF’s ERA Coordinator, Marco Hörtenhuber-Stuhl, joined forces with ALE (European Train Drivers’ Union) to send a clear message: the human factor is not an optional extra. It is the foundation of a successful ERTMS rollout.

22/04/2026

🚆 Protecting rail freight is essential for Europe's economy

We kick-started our conference "Keeping rail freight back on track: workers' solutions for a sector in crisis!

With the participation of workers, experts and policymakers, this conference launches our campaign to , a sector suffering multiple crisis that need our attention today.

The first speakers were Andreas Schieder (MEP) Gerhard Tauchner (Chair of ETF Railways Section), and from the European Commission, Pierpaolo Settembri and Pierfrancesco Maran (MEP, Chair of the ENVI Committee).

We'll be in Brussels the whole day discussing rail freight as a public service, a workers' demand for a sector in need.

13/04/2026

From our affiliate Gewerkschaft vida:
🚆 Europe's freight transport is on the brink – and with it, hundreds of thousands of jobs!

The European Transport Workers' Federation has launched a Europe-wide campaign, , to secure and expand rail freight. Because one thing is clear: without strong railways, there can be no functioning Europe.

👉 It's about more than just transport:

✔️ Security of supply
✔️ Climate protection
✔️ Good, secure jobs

The ETF and its member unions are therefore demanding massive public investment in rail.

Because while politicians like to talk about sustainable mobility, in reality, rail freight still lacks the necessary priority.

🚆 Europas Güterverkehr steht auf der Kippe – und mit ihm hunderttausende Arbeitsplätze!

Die Europäische Transportarbeiter-Föderation (ETF) hat mit eine europaweite Kampagne gestartet, um den Schienengüterverkehr zu sichern und auszubauen. Denn klar ist: Ohne starke Bahnen kein funktionierendes Europa.

👉 Es geht um mehr als Transport:
✔️ Versorgungssicherheit
✔️ Klimaschutz
✔️ Gute, sichere Arbeitsplätze

Die ETF und ihre Mitgliedsgewerkschaften fordern daher massive öffentliche Investitionen in die Schiene – statt weiterer Verlagerung auf die Straße.

Denn während die Politik gerne von nachhaltiger Mobilität redet, fehlt es in der Realität noch immer an der nötigen Priorität für den Schienengüterverkehr.

🔗 Mehr dazu:
https://www.vida.at/de/artikel/eisenbahn/2026/saverailfreight

08/04/2026

🕊️ We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident involving a TGV train near Bully-les-Mines.

We mourn the loss of the train driver and extend our heartfelt condolences to their family, colleagues, and loved ones. Our thoughts are with the injured passengers and all railway staff affected.

We stand in full solidarity with railway workers and our affiliates during this difficult time.

This tragedy is a stark reminder: rail safety must be a priority. Years of underinvestment continue to put lives at risk.

It is time for authorities to act and invest in safe, resilient rail infrastructure.

Full ETF statement: https://www.etf-europe.org/etf-stands-with-railway-workers-after-fatal-tgv-accident/

26/03/2026

Safe, reliable, and sustainable rail does not happen by default. It requires deliberate political choices and adequate funding.

ETF's Senior Policy Officer for Railways Jedde Hollewijn addresses this in a new piece by The European Correspondent: "This should not take away attention and resources from investment in commuter lines, which people rely on for their daily mobility needs."

Rail network expansion across Europe is a welcome development. Yet, to avoid tragedies like the recent one in Spain, investment must prioritise safety, reliability, and the workers who keep our networks running.

Read the full article:

21 April 1992. Spain was intoxicated with enthusiasm. In the same year as the Barcelona Olympic Games and the Seville International Exposition, Spain’

17/03/2026

Who needs public rail freight? 🏭

🔩 Steel industry: 50% transported by rail (products too large/heavy for roads)
🧪 Chemical industry: Hazardous goods legally must go by rail
🚗 Automotive: Just-in-time supply chains depend on flexible rail

This works because rail freight uses Single Wagon Load (SWL) transport. Without it, the European industry can't compete.
But private operators are abandoning SWL. It’s not profitable enough.

This is why rail freight needs public ownership. Public services serve the public good.

05/03/2026

🚂 Rail safety is not a technical abstraction; it is directly linked to the working conditions of the people who keep Europe moving.

Yesterday, the ETF Rail Section, with Gewerkschaft vida and AKEuropa, brought together trade unionists, the European Commission (DG MOVE), MEPs, attachés and representatives from the European Parliament to tackle the real-world challenges facing our railways.

Key takeaways:

✅ Digital Monitoring: We need a tamper-proof system to end fatigue-related risks and excessive overtime.

✅ TDD Revision: High training standards and language skills must remain a safety necessity, not a competitive variable.

✅ Cooperation over Competition: Safety is a public good. Cost-cutting on staffing and training undermines the entire system.

It is time to stop treating workers as obstacles to interoperability and start recognizing them as the key safety resource they are.
Safety is an investment in workers, public trust, and the future of rail.

03/03/2026

🚂 What is Single Wagon Load (SWL) and why is it essential to the rail freight industry's success?

Customers don't need a full train; they can send individual wagons. It's flexible. Essential for SMEs, specialised industries, and military mobility.

But private operators avoid it. Too complex. Not profitable enough.

That's the problem with privatisation. Public services get abandoned for profit.

SWL represents 25-30% of today's European rail freight. 60% of Austrian SWL depends on services now being cut.

Rail freight needs public ownership.

16/02/2026

Wage dumping concerns in cross-border rail services

ÖBB is replacing Swiss train attendants on Nightjet services to and from Zurich with Austrian staff due to significantly lower wages. Around 30 Swiss employees are being laid off in April.

Gerhard Tauchner, Chair of the ETF Railways Section, calls this "wage dumping" in cross-border train services and considers the staff exchange potentially illegal under the EU's Posting of Workers Directive.

"In order to take on operational tasks in Switzerland, the appropriate training is required," says Tauchner, who sees this as a "clear circumvention of agreements."

Switzerland must adhere to the principles of the Posting of Workers Directive under its bilateral agreements with the EU, which requires that minimum wages in the host country must be paid and the applicable collective bargaining agreement must be observed.

This case highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting workers' rights in cross-border rail operations.

ÖBB-Partner Newrest stellt Ende April sämtliche Mitarbeiter in Zürich aufs Abstellgleis. Heftige Kritik der Gewerkschaft.

12/02/2026

Spain’s railway unions CCOO Comisiones Obreras and UGT - Unión General de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores have secured a historic agreement with the government after just one day of strike action, preventing what would have been a three-day nationwide rail shutdown.

The strike started on February 9, but by the end of that same day, the unions had reached an agreement with the Ministry of Transport. This rapid success shows what can be achieved when unions stand together with clear demands and strong worker support.

06/02/2026

We are coming back ➡️ stronger, united and ready to be heard! 💪

Join our demonstration to limit subcontracting and stop exploitation in our sectors!

📅 10 February 2026
📍 In front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg
⏰ from 14:00 to 16:00 CET.

06/02/2026

Rail freight privatisation has failed.

Services cut.
Jobs lost.
Cargo forced to travel in trucks.

Private operators put profit before the common good.
But rail freight is a public service.
It's time for public ownership.

European transport workers are launching to fight for:
🚂 Public rail freight systems
💼 Quality jobs
🌍 Just Transition

Join us. 💪