Court rules French rail operator discriminated against Moroccan workers

France's national rail operator has lost an appeal in a long-running discrimination case filed by more than 800 Moroccan employees. Compensation could run into the tens of millions of euros.

SNCF workers (Getty Images/AFP/M. Alexandre)

France's national rail operator SNCF discriminated against 848 Moroccan men for decades, resulting in them receiving fewer benefits and career opportunities compared to their French counterparts, a Paris court ruled Thursday.

SNCF was convicted of discrimination in 2015 and ordered to pay €170 million ($210 million).

The appeals court in Paris upheld the decision that the rail operator discriminated against Moroccan workers for decades in terms of training, pensions, healthcare and other conditions.

It was unclear how much compensation the appeals court ordered SNCF to pay.

Most of the Moroccans were hired as contractors in the 1970s. SNCF had argued that employees must be French citizens, or after 1991 European Union nationals, to be hired as rail workers.

It also said that the Moroccans were not as qualified their French counterparts.

SNCF said it would look at each of the more than 800 cases individually and possibly appeal to a higher court.

cw/kms (AFP, AP)

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