French air traffic control unions call for June strikes
The Local France - [email protected]
Published: 24 May, 2016 CET.
Updated: Tue 24 May 2016 16:49 CET
Air traffic controllers and thousands of other workers at France's airports have been urged to join a three day strike early next month. Although aviation authorities are hopeful it won't go ahead.
UPDATED: This threatened strike has just been called off. CLICK HERE for updates
Background: The three-day strike has been called by the USAC-CGT union and has the backing of all unions representing the 12,000 workers employed by France's Civil Aviation body the DGAC.
It has been proposed to run from Friday June 3rd (not June 2nd as originally stated) to June 5th.
The union said in a statement on Tuesday that "the drop in staff numbers, which has been going on for almost ten years, has become intolerable".
It called on "all staff without exception" to take part in the strike, as they were all affected either directly or indirectly by the reduction in staff numbers and the "multiple service reorganizations".
The DGAC told The Local that the union's call to strike was a way of putting pressure on negotiations, but they were still hopeful that the strike wouldn't go ahead.
A spokesman said a final meeting with unions is scheduled for May 31st and only after those negotiations will it become clear if France will be hit by yet another round of strikes.
Those negotiations were still ongoing on the morning of Wednesday June 1st, with an announcement expected to be made in the afternoon.
If the strike did go ahead hundreds of flights to and from French airports could be cancelled.
On Thursday* a number flights (up to 15 percent) out of Paris Orly airport could be cancelled due to the two strike called by the CGT union who are protesting against France's labour reforms.
If it were to go ahead as planned, it will mean a troubling week of transport for Parisians in particular, who look set to be hit by a separate public transport strike that begins on Thursday, June 2nd.
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UPDATED: This threatened strike has just been called off. CLICK HERE for updates
Background: The three-day strike has been called by the USAC-CGT union and has the backing of all unions representing the 12,000 workers employed by France's Civil Aviation body the DGAC.
It has been proposed to run from Friday June 3rd (not June 2nd as originally stated) to June 5th.
The union said in a statement on Tuesday that "the drop in staff numbers, which has been going on for almost ten years, has become intolerable".
It called on "all staff without exception" to take part in the strike, as they were all affected either directly or indirectly by the reduction in staff numbers and the "multiple service reorganizations".
The DGAC told The Local that the union's call to strike was a way of putting pressure on negotiations, but they were still hopeful that the strike wouldn't go ahead.
A spokesman said a final meeting with unions is scheduled for May 31st and only after those negotiations will it become clear if France will be hit by yet another round of strikes.
Those negotiations were still ongoing on the morning of Wednesday June 1st, with an announcement expected to be made in the afternoon.
If the strike did go ahead hundreds of flights to and from French airports could be cancelled.
On Thursday* a number flights (up to 15 percent) out of Paris Orly airport could be cancelled due to the two strike called by the CGT union who are protesting against France's labour reforms.
If it were to go ahead as planned, it will mean a troubling week of transport for Parisians in particular, who look set to be hit by a separate public transport strike that begins on Thursday, June 2nd.
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