Air France staff are striking in the hope of salary increases. Unions want the airline to share its 2017 financial success, but management says more pay raises aren’t possible.
Air France staff on Friday went on strike for the third time in one month, causing the airline to cancel a quarter of its flights.
“On 30 March 2018 we expect to operate 75 percent of our flight schedule,” the airline said on its website.
Air France estimated that 31.6 percent of pilots, 28.3 percent of cabin crew and 20.4 percent of ground staff were striking.
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A group of 11 trade unions have already staged two strikes this year, on February 22 and March 23, in the hope of obtaining a 6-percent pay raise. Two more protests have been planned for April 3 and April 7.
Unions say the airline should share the company’s wealth with its staff after it experienced strong results last year, but management claims it cannot offer higher salaries without putting growth at risk in what is a highly competitive sector.
ay raise incoming
Air France is due to introduce a 0.6 percent pay raise from April 1 and 0.4 percent from October 1, along with bonuses and promotions equivalent to a 1.4 percent raise for ground staff.
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CEO Franck Terner on Thursday said that with operating profits of nearly €590 million ($727 million) last year, only €200 million could be put toward salary increases.
“To distribute wealth we have to create it first,” Terner told French newspaper Le Parisien.
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