Row over TGV food contract

CATERING staff on TGVs are striking over the quality of food being served to customers and workers’ rights after a new company was awarded the contract.

Catering company Crémonini was given the contract for €23m, three times less the cost of rival company Wagons lits, according to unions.

CGT Union representative Alain Lacquement said: “Crémonini does not have the skills for this service. Until now, it was only managing the logistics of the gare du Nord.”

He added that the company wanted to “not only reduce the rights of employees” but sold products which were of a lower quality.

One employee said: “They have made extreme savings and cut the quality of the cakes and croques-monsieurs.”

Crémonini France has been managing catering services onboard TGVs since March 1, except for the TGV est.

There were delays on the Bordeaux-Paris line this morning after a crash involving two freight trains at Charmant in the Charente late last night.

A statement from the SNCF said technical crews worked with the fire brigade at the scene to check safety procedures and return traffic to normal as quickly as possible.