Renfe train drivers strike on 29 October after Urda collision leaves at least 68 dead

The Urda collision

Two high-speed trains collided near Urda, in Toledo province, on the Madrid-Sevilla line on Wednesday, 28 October. Press reports put the death toll at at least 68, with about 50 people injured. Semaf, the union representing Renfe drivers, said it did not yet know the full scale of the accident or the condition of the drivers in the cab of the Renfe train involved. The union has declined to speculate on causes and urged caution until investigations produce verified results. The crash came nine months after an accident at Adamuz (Córdoba) in late January that killed 46 people.

In its first reaction, the union said:

“The first thing is to help the victims and support their families.”

Why the drivers are striking

Semaf is holding a 24-hour strike on Thursday, 29 October, covering every company in the Renfe group, from 00:01 to 23:59. The union kept the stoppage in place after the crash because it was called to demand safety improvements. Semaf says the commitments made after the Adamuz and Gélida accidents have stalled, and it lists binding weather-alert protocols, clear communication rules in risky situations, the hiring of new drivers, support after people are struck by trains, and more reliable rolling stock among its demands. It also wants the reduced retirement age coefficients for drivers unblocked. Renfe answered that it had met the totality of the commitments in the agreement of 9 February, while respecting the right to strike and warning that the stoppage could affect thousands of passengers. Sources differ on how many staff are called out, with ABC citing about 100 drivers and RTVE citing around 6,000 Renfe group workers. ABC also reports that the Transport Minister's main response so far has been temporary speed restrictions on about 4,000 km of AVE track, adjusted by Adif as traffic changes.

Minimum services and disruption in Catalonia

Catalonia's civil protection agency has placed its Ferrocat rail emergency plan on pre-alert ahead of the strike. The Department of Business and Labour, under conseller Miquel Sàmper, set Rodalies minimum services at 66% of usual service in peak hours and 33% for the rest of the day, and the percentages may be spread unevenly as long as the overall level is not exceeded. For high-speed trains, La Vanguardia reports a Transport Ministry minimum of 73%, while El Periódico reports 75% at peak and 50% off-peak. Catalan government sources described the day as likely to be very complicated and recommended teleworking where possible, buses or FGC trains. The Procicat advisory council will meet in an extraordinary session at 08:00 on Thursday to track the day, and extra buses can only be ordered if minimum services are not met once trains are running, because booking them in advance would interfere with the right to strike. Renfe advised passengers to plan trips early and check service status, since frequencies can change during the day.

Peak hours66

Rest of the day33

Peak hours

66 % of usual service

Rest of the day

33 % of usual service

Data from the article text

How the dispute built up

After the Adamuz accident, several strike days were called and then withdrawn when the Transport Ministry promised funding for maintenance of infrastructure and rolling stock. Renfe and the union reached an agreement on 9 February, but Semaf denounced stalled follow-up in mid-October and returned to strike. The union announced the 29 October stoppage on Friday, 23 October, after a pre-conflict procedure before the Comisión de Conflictos failed to settle the dispute. The Urda collision then occurred on Wednesday, 28 October, the day before the strike is set to run.