European round-up

EU states without trains appointed to EU rail agency TWO new EU member states, Malta and Cyprus, have been given seats on the board of the newly- created European Railway Agency despite the fact that neither country has a rail network. The agency will be located in the French town of Lille and its main task will be to reinforce the privati- sation and interoperability of railways within the European Union. The last train ran in Malta in 1931 and the only train in Cyprus is a steam museum piece which runs on a stretch of track located in the Turkish-occupied north, which is not in the EU. The appointments have been seen as an attempt to stymie growing opposition to the wholesale privati- sation of rail networks in member states demanded by various EU directives. It is unlikely that Maltese and Cypriot members of the rail agency are going to face much pressure from the rail lobby at home. German rail bosses demand longer working hours GERMAN national rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) are demanding the extension of the working week for its 243,000 employees from the present 38.5 hours to 40 hours without extra pay. It also wants to revise bonus payments on employee performance, citing concern at competition on its regional lines. DB says if the unions accept the plan, job numbers will be guaranteed for four years. DB last year cut 8,000 jobs and the Transnet rail union believes it is seeking to reduce its workforce by another 37,000 by 2007. The operator has already shed 150,000 jobs in 10 years and hopes to enter the stock exchange in 2006 before full privatisation. New French flag discussions suspended NEGOTIATIONS between the French seafarers’ unions, the owners’ association and the government have been suspended until “sometime in September”. The unions are demanding a minimum of 35 per cent of French or European Union nationals in crews on vessels to be registered under the RIF, France’s new international ship register. The government suspended establishment of the RIF following a series of united strikes. The unions object strongly to RIF plans which require only the master and second officer to be French. They believe it will be an FoC and lead to job losses for officers and ratings. Italy accident probably due to signalling fault A SIGNALLING error at the station of Stresa in northern Italy was probably the cause of the derailing of the overnight Rome-Paris train that caused one death and 37 injured in March a preliminary report indicates. Four carriages of the international train were derailed by an oncoming Paris-Rome train as it hit the last carriage of the Paris-bound train. Union sources said that the signalman was finishing a long period of service including six consecutive night duties. SeaFrance in the red, awaits new ferry FRENCH Dover-Calais ferry operator SeaFrance fell into the red last year after an “excellent 2002”. The number of passengers fell seven per cent to 3,180,000 with almost the same number of crossings but the number of foot passengers plunged 31 per cent to 260,000. But the first few months of 2004 look better for the operator that next February takes delivery of the SeaFrance Berlioz, a new super ferry that joins its new SeaFrance Renoir. Russia’s rail workers concerned about future RUSSIA’S 1.2 million railway workers are increasingly concerned at the country’s plans to restructure the extensive rail network, which generates five per cent of Russia’s income – more than any other industry. The network, one of the world’s biggest, last year was transferred from the ministry of transport to RZhD, a new, state-owned corporation, responsible for both infrastructure and freight and passenger services operated through 17 regional companies. City metro systems have already been handed over to municipal authorities and there is concern that parts of RZhD will be privatised following plans to separate infrastructure management from train operations. French maritime unions plan 24 hour strike UNIONS at Gaz de France (GdF) maritime subsidiary Gazocean have called a 24- hour strike to protest at staffing levels on the Gaz de France Energy gas carrier. They oppose management proposals for a crew of six French officers, four French boatswains and 14 ratings for the vessel, due for delivery in December. The Tellier and the Descartes, GdF’s two other vessels fly the French reserve Kerguelen flag have 100 per cent French crews. EUROPEANROUND-UP SAFETY: Senior citizen Jim Ross launches a safety campaign in Dublin, Ireland for a new HGV cyclops mirror, which will soon be fitted to all HGVs to eliminate the driver's 'blind spot'. The National Safety Council said that the blind spot in lorry cabs was leading to an alarmingly high number of deaths among elderly pedestrians. 33