How will the Renfe subsidiary that will manage Cercanías operate?

BarcelonaUnion pressure with the strike against the transfer of commuter trains (already called off)) has yielded results: the Spanish government has compromised and accepted that the new joint venture that will manage the service in Catalonia will remain part of the Renfe group. The Spanish Left has given its approval, but it has also set an expiration date: in two years, they warn, the Socialists must comply with the original agreement signed during Pedro Sánchez's investiture, which stipulates that the new company must be "separated" from Renfe. But how will the subsidiary, with which the process toward the transfer is to begin, operate?

The agreement between Transport and the unions stipulates the creation of a subsidiary with the majority of the shares belonging to Renfe and, therefore, will be part of its commercial group. On the other hand, the Government will control the board of directors: will hold the presidency and the casting vote, so, in practice, they will have the final say on decisions that depend on the management. However, the agreement between the ERC and the PSOE also stipulated that, to make strategic decisions, a reinforced majority would be required (therefore, prior agreement between both administrations is required).

What practical consequences does the new Cercanías Cataluña network being part of the Ministry of Transport have? First of all, workers will not see their current working conditions modified, because the same collective agreement they already have will apply. This will allow them to maintain seniority and mobility rights throughout the country, which has helped calm union tensions. Transport sources consulted by ARA assure that this is the only relevant practical effect of the decision announced on Sunday.

Preparation time

Even so, the agreement with the unions also makes it clear that workers cannot be forced to transfer from Adif or Renfe to the new commuter rail operator. This could lead to problems when the company's spin-off from the Renfe group is implemented, as demanded by the ERC (Regional Regional Government of Catalonia). In statements this Monday, the regional minister and government spokesperson, Silvia Paneque, did not clarify what will happen in the future: "The operator that manages commuter rail is Renfe, and it must continue to be Renfe," she said. From the PSC headquarters, the party's spokesperson and number two, Lluïsa Moret, clarified this by acknowledging that the agreed-upon formula is part of a "progressive process." In other words, the situation is not definitive and is paving the way for the "structural change" that will result from the Generalitat taking full control of the operator. In any case, Paneque also argued that the new model guarantees that decisions regarding commuter rail "will be made from Catalonia" and that it represents "a firm and decisive step" toward the transfer.

Renfe's subsidiary will manage commuter line 1 and, later, lines 2 and 3, the first lines where the transfer is planned to begin. Neither the State nor the Generalitat have clarified at this time when the full transfer of the nineteen lines that form part of the Cercanías system to the Generalitat will be effective, nor who will ultimately own the infrastructure—especially the tracks. In any case, during the transition, the new joint venture will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to process the safety licenses required by the European Union. Republican sources assure that if an independent company dependent on the Generalitat were created now, it would be very difficult for traffic authorizations to arrive immediately from Europe. The operation could still represent a temporary advantage for the Generalitat: it would not have to assume, for the time being, Renfe's debt.

Together: "It's a name change"

The original agreement between the PSOE and ERC stated that the commitment was to "complete and extend the full transfer" of the State to the Generalitat throughout the Spanish legislature, which ends in 2027. ERC maintains that they have not renounced this, despite accepting this two-year grace period: "The transfer remains in place," assured the president of the Generalitat. "At this time, the Generalitat or the public company that could manage the trains does not have the necessary personnel to guarantee that the trains will run," added ERC spokesperson in the Parliament and former Minister of Territory, Ester Capella, on Catalunya Ràdio. In the coming days, the Republicans will meet with the ministry and the government to discuss the new company, which must be completed by December 31 of this year.

Juntos disagrees. For the party's spokesperson and vice president, Josep Rius, the agreement between unions and Transport is nothing less than the "death certificate of the transfer of Cercanías." "The Spanish government has never wanted to carry out a comprehensive transfer, but rather a name change," he said this Monday at a press conference where he announced that Junts is joining the demonstrations to defend a "dignified" train service. For its part, the Común party has demanded new measures from the Government to address the "unsustainable" situation in Cercanías following the new incidents and bury projects like the Winter Olympics.