Most unions representing employees of Renfe and Adif have called off a planned strike that was set to begin early on Monday morning across Spain.

The General Committees of Renfe and Adif, comprised of Semaf, CC OO, UGT, SF-I, and SCF, reached a last-minute agreement with the Ministry of Transport and the Government of Catalonia, leaving only the CGT union outside the consensus.

The agreement stipulates that Catalonia's commuter service, Rodalies, will not exit the Renfe Group for the time being.

Instead, a new mixed company named Rodalies Catalunya will be established to operate the commuter network, although the majority ownership will remain with the state rather than the Generalitat, diverging from expectations set in 2023 agreements that initially sparked the conflict.

Following a meeting held on Sunday, the involved parties expressed satisfaction at their ability to come to a resolution, which they believe will ensure that railway services can operate with near-normality starting March 17. However, it is anticipated that the CGT will continue its planned protests, which are expected to have minimal impact.

The Ministry and the Generalitat emphasized that the agreement resulted from a commitment to uphold the rights of Renfe and Adif workers while maintaining public railway services and honoring previous agreements.

The unions had initially declared seven strike days for March 17, 19, 24, 26, and 28, as well as April 1 and 3, protesting what they viewed as noncompliance by Transport Minister Óscar Puente on agreements regarding Rodalies and Renfe Mercancías.

They also criticized what they termed a 'covert privatization process' within Renfe Mercancías, alleging that the Ministry was facilitating the entry of the logistics company MSC into the sector while failing to improve the public company's customer acquisition and workforce requirements.

The strikes would have resulted in the cancellation of approximately 1,400 Renfe trains (1,383 trains) out of 4,260 scheduled for those days, including 428 high-speed and long-distance trains, 955 medium-distance trains, and 740 freight services.

The Ministry of Transport, the Generalitat, and the General Committees of Renfe and Adif stated that the agreement ensures the fulfillment of prior understandings.

This refers to the ongoing processes initiated by the central government and the Generalitat regarding the transfer of Rodalies.

This element, prompted by a 2023 investiture agreement between the PSOE and Esquerra Republicana, has generated friction between staff and Renfe due to uncertainties surrounding the preservation of labor rights for workers once the new company is established in Catalonia.

While the initial agreement references a mixed company responsible for infrastructure and trains, there is considerable distance to cover before that entity can be integrated into the Generalitat.

Consequently, the more practical approach to commence operations will be through a Renfe subsidiary, where the central government will hold the majority of shares while the Generalitat retains governance and a majority on the board of directors.

The pact confirmed by the Ministry and the unions asserts that the new entity 'will be part of the Renfe Group with respect and guarantees for labor rights, including the application of the collective agreement and other existing labor agreements.'

This temporary continuation of the company's ownership is said to bring a degree of stability to the labor conflict.

Regarding Rodalies, staff will not have to be concerned about losing seniority or their rights to mobility across various employment centers in Spain.

The timeline for the government, the Generalitat, and the unions to resolve any loose ends in order for the new company to complete the necessary shareholding transition to become fully Catalan remains to be defined.

The agreement also guarantees that 'shareholder participation will be documented in the draft social statutes.'

The framework not only aims to foster social peace within Renfe but also provides the future operator of the Catalan commuter services additional time to avoid immediate compliance with European safety licensing requirements necessary for train operations.

Additionally, it allows the new company to thoroughly evaluate the assets and liabilities of the operation, with existing debt remaining the responsibility of the central government.

The transfer will begin with the R1 line, and the parties involved expect to finalize the statutes of the new company shortly, with the official launch having been endorsed in the recent meeting of the Bilateral State-Generalitat Commission.