649,000 euros gross. The figure strikes, net, placed at the heart of public debate. In 2023, the total compensation of Jean-Pierre Farandou, CEO of SNCF, reaches this amount. Legislation, since 2012, locks his fixed part at 450,000 euros, a rule imposed on all leaders of public companies.
The government casts doubt on the renewal of Farandou at the head of the group, as discussions about career endings at SNCF become heated. An agreement signed in April provides concrete measures on retirement and professional mobility for railway workers.
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How much does Jean-Pierre Farandou really earn at SNCF?
The numbers do not lie: the salary of the CEO of SNCF is displayed without hesitation. Jean-Pierre Farandou, in office since 2019, receives a compensation marked by the State. The ceiling, set at 450,000 euros gross per year, reflects a political will to keep the remuneration of public leaders under control. In detail, 370,000 euros are guaranteed, and a bonus of 80,000 euros depends on achieving objectives set by the board of directors. The Ministry of Economy publishes an annual report detailing the remuneration of these leaders. But this transparency does not calm minds. The question of the legitimacy of this amount remains pending, particularly when the salary of the CEO of SNCF comes under the spotlight and fuels tensions. Managing reforms, handling social conflicts, adapting to competition: do the missions required justify such a level of remuneration, especially compared to the realities faced by railway workers? The comparison with Guillaume Pepy, Farandou’s predecessor, who was paid 400,000 euros per year, adds to the controversy. Unions scrutinize pay slips, reading the reflection of persistent social tensions at SNCF. In the assembly as well as in the workshops, this debate is unavoidable. The State tries, with this ceiling, to combine exemplarity and the ability to attract strong profiles to lead a public service under severe strain.
The CEO’s salary, a source of tensions and public debate
At SNCF, the CEO’s remuneration is not just a figure on a contract: it crystallizes frustrations. When management displays 450,000 euros gross annually for Jean-Pierre Farandou, trade unions see it as a symbol of the wage inequalities that undermine the company. It’s hard to forget the long strikes, from 1995 to 2022, which brought the issue of value sharing to the forefront.
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Railway workers, faced with often challenging working conditions, pay close attention to every decision coming from the top. SNCF’s financial results, 2.4 billion euros in profit in 2022, 1.3 billion in 2023, regularly revive the question of salary increases. In depots as well as on platforms, the topic of salary increases is constantly revisited.
Unions continue to make their voices heard: the CFDT notes some progress, Sud Rail always points out precariousness, and the CGT demands better recognition. The controversy surrounding the CEO’s salary concentrates a broader discomfort around the recognition of work and social justice. It has taken on new significance since the implementation of the agreement on career endings, which offers drivers and controllers the possibility of early retirement, funded by SNCF’s profits.
Agreement on career endings at SNCF: what you need to understand
At the beginning of 2024, SNCF and four unions signed an agreement on career endings that continues to generate discussion. This system allows drivers and controllers to leave their positions between 15 and 18 months before the legal retirement age, while receiving 75% of their salary excluding bonuses. This mechanism, which costs 35 million euros per year, is funded by the annual profits of the railway group.
For some, this measure amounts to circumventing the pension reform desired by the government. Some senators and government members see it as a benefit reserved for a minority, made possible by SNCF’s good financial health. Jean-Pierre Farandou stands by this choice: according to him, it is an essential tool for retaining employees and taking into account the constraints of a job that requires atypical hours and constant vigilance.
While the CFDT welcomed this advancement, other unions, notably Sud Rail, remain critical, arguing that the issue of salaries for all staff is still unresolved. This system, limited to only operational staff, leaves out other professions. However, it marks a step forward: for the first time, the funding is directly based on the profits of the public company.
In the midst of these debates, SNCF continues to operate, with its contradictions, tensions, and governance choices that, each year, cause more than one wheel to squeak.