Air France unions promise a “significant hardening of the conflict”

In a joint statement, the inter-trade union committee – the nine unions representing crew and staff at Air France – regret that after nearly four months without a strike, there hasn’t been a resumption of discussions on salaries and wages. The cross-union grouping also criticized the attitude of the management being “totally irresponsible“.

“We have concluded that due to this totally irresponsible attitude, there can be only one response: a significant hardening of the conflict (un fort durcissement du conflit) to force the management to resolve the issue permanently,” the nine unions agreed unilaterally (CGT, FO, SUD, SNPNC, Unsa-PNC, CFTC, SNGAF, SNPL and Alter).

Very soon the inter-trade union committee will announce which industrial actions it will take to finally stop the wage freeze.

Unions demand 5.1% wage increase

On 16 August, the unions – already conducting fifteen days of strike since February for better wages – strongly opposed the designation of Canadian Benjamin Smith at the helm of Air France-KLM; they find it “inconceivable” to appoint a foreign leader as CEO.

“The appointment of Mr. Benjamin Smith at the helm of the Air France-KLM group hasn’t solved the issue that our wages are already blocked from 2012 to 2017.”

The unions are requesting a pay-rise of 5.1%, corresponding to the inflation between 2012 and 2017.