Air France pilots protest as premier spurns strike
Updated: 2014-09-24 10:01
(Agencies)
|
|||||||||||
PARIS - Scores of striking Air France pilots took their protest to the streets on Tuesday, demonstrating in full uniform outside of France's National Assembly to demand government intervention to end an eight-day standoff.
Parent company Air France-KLM says about half of all Air France flights have been cancelled since the strike started. The pilots oppose the proposed expansion of its low-cost carrier, Transavia, which the company sees as a way to cut costs and stay competitive. Air France says the walkout is costing up to 20 million euros ($25 million) a day.
The main pilots' union, SNPL, says management's offer a day earlier to delay the expansion of Transavia until December was a smoke screen, and accused the airline of trying to move jobs to countries with lower taxes and cheaper labor.
While strikes are relatively common in France's labor force, it's rare to see pilots protesting. About 200 hundred pilots took part in the demonstration, waving placards, posting stickers on their hats, and handing out T-shirts evocative of another French labor movement against the outsourcing of jobs abroad.
"The number of people working for Air France is decreasing every year and there is no point building another company outside of France," protesting pilot Alain Magi said. "This will not only cost pilot jobs in Air France ... that will kill Air France. We can't accept this."
The protest came just a few hours after French Prime Minister Manuel Valls spoke out against the protesters.
"This strike has no reason, is not understood by the French, gives France a bad image and is a real danger for the company," he said.
Related Stories
Air France is 'in the air' in Shanghai 2014-05-08 17:35
Today's Top News
Emissions report tells only part of story, expert says
India triumphs in Mars mission
iPhone smugglers targeted
Xi urges closer legislative ties with Russia
Beijing to change flat rate subway fares
Ex-Chinese planning official on trial for graft
Kiev reports no clash in E Ukraine
Air France pilots protest as premier spurns strike
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
Sea change |
'Old newcomers' |
General aviation hub reaches for the sky |
Endangered species threatens livelihoods |
Chinese mavericks set to amaze racing world |
Helping them breathing |