A train drivers' strike disrupted rail services across Spain on Tuesday as drivers demanded that the government fulfill safety commitments made after a series of deadly rail crashes.
Madrid's Cercanias commuter network suspended services on six lines, with only occasional trains running on two others. In Catalonia, the Rodalies network said none of its lines were operating as scheduled.
The strike also forced cancellations on the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line and services linking Madrid and Valladolid. State rail operator Renfe offered passengers free ticket changes or cancellations but warned that few seats were available for rebooking.
Train drivers' union Semaf called this week's strikes a day after the Oct. 28 train crash near Urda, in Toledo province, which killed 69 people.
Drivers had already scheduled a walkout for Oct. 29 over what the union said were unfulfilled safety commitments made after two crashes in January — one in Adamuz, which killed 46 people, and another derailment in Catalonia that killed a driver.
Train drivers are demanding clear rules for operating in severe weather and a ban on trains resuming normal speeds after a failure of the automatic train protection system, which was linked to last month's crash.
New Transport Minister Carlos Cuerpo met union representatives twice in less than a week. Semaf acknowledged progress in the talks but maintained the strike, with further stoppages planned for Thursday during the morning and evening rush hours and again late at night.
The Spanish government approved a decree Tuesday recognizing train drivers' right to stop a train or refuse to start it if they face serious and imminent danger, broadcaster RTVE reported. The decree also allows rail workers to report safety risks confidentially without fear of retaliation.
The strike comes a day before Spain's largest unions are due to hold a nationwide general strike over housing and low wages, the country's first since 2012.
