A pay dispute at Nice's Métropole transit operator, Lignes d'Azur, has escalated into strike action, with two unions rejecting management's offer in the network's ongoing annual pay negotiations.
Sud-Solidaires and the CFTC-Unsa, which together represent around a third of the operator's staff, are contesting a proposed 1.5% general salary increase alongside a 400 euro bonus, and are calling on management to return with a better offer. The CGT, the network's largest union, has not joined the action and said in a statement it was surprised by the strike notice given that talks were still ongoing.
The two unions filed their first strike notice for July 15, with staff required to declare their intention to strike in advance so the operator can plan services and inform passengers of expected disruptions. The scale of disruption on tram and bus routes depends on how many staff ultimately walk out, and further action remains possible if the pay talks continue to stall.
Nice residents relying on Lignes d'Azur services should expect the possibility of further strike notices in the weeks ahead if the two sides fail to reach an agreement.