TUI Transport: Statement on the Train Crashes in Spain

From the TUI Transport, Ports, Fishery, and Communications (a sectoral branch of the World Federation of Trade Unions), we wish to express our profound sorrow for all the victims of the train accidents that occurred in Spain, as well as our solidarity and condolences to the entire working class of the country.

The privatization of public services, which the international bourgeoisie has imposed on states, represents one of the offensives of capitalism following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The achievements of the working class in the people's democracies were, until then, countered by social policies that suggested it was possible to advance through class collaboration. But in 1989, not only did the Berlin Wall fall, but also any glimmer of hope for the emancipation of the working class.

The transfer of these public services to private companies has not only been more costly for states but is also jeopardizing the gains achieved after years of struggle. In the case of passenger transport, this is leading to the deaths of thousands, victims of disinvestment, the outsourcing of labor, and the enrichment of a few at the expense of the safety and health of workers and passengers.

It is in this context that the TUI Transport, Ports, Fishery and Communication is analyzing the continuous fatal accidents in privatized transport, and more specifically, those that have occurred in Spain in recent days. The first occurred on January 18th on the high-speed rail line when a train belonging to the Italian company Iryo derailed in the province of Córdoba (Andalusia), causing a collision with an Alvia train traveling in the opposite direction, resulting in 45 deaths and 123 injuries. Another accident occurred two days later on the Barcelona commuter rail service when a train was struck by a collapsing retaining wall (1 death and 41 injuries).

Although politicians explain these accidents as the result of chance, we understand that accidents are not simply chance occurrences; they are causes and consequences. Currently, the rail service lacks safety for workers and passengers, who have also been affected by derailments on the Madrid commuter rail network in recent months, as well as by inadequate service to rural areas. The high-speed rail accident is merely the tip of the iceberg of a deteriorating service and a repeat of the mistakes that led to the most serious accident on the Spanish high-speed rail network: the Santiago de Compostela crash on July 24, 2013 (80 dead and 144 injured).

While awaiting the investigations into the causes of the January 18 accident, it is clear to everyone that investment in infrastructure is insufficient on a network that is already 40 years old. A budget reduction that primarily affects the workers in the sector, impacting their working conditions, as they are the first to suffer the cuts. The outsourcing of railway infrastructure maintenance is the root cause of precarious employment in the sector, characterized by undignified wages, disregarded rights, and minimal investment in health and safety. Since this maintenance is in the hands of private companies, there is no doubt that cost-cutting measures aimed at maximizing profits also extend to materials, tools, and other equipment. And this frugality ultimately translates into a compromise on passenger safety.

On the other hand, the liberalization of the service, mandated at the time by the European Union to dismantle all public services and allow free access to private companies, has enabled the Italian company Iryo and the French company Ouigo to enter the market as low-cost carriers. To compete, Renfe (a privatized company) had to create its own low-cost carrier, Avlo. It is no surprise that in this competition for customers, offering low prices on their trips and prioritizing profits, cost reductions are directed towards professionals, maintenance, and safety.

Given this confluence of circumstances, train accidents cannot be justified as the result of unforeseen adversity. The train accidents that have claimed dozens of lives and left dozens injured are the consequence of insufficient investment in infrastructure maintenance, health and safety, labor costs, and entrusting a strategic service to private companies-a service that should be fully funded by the state.