Air France: 14th day of the strike, no crisis in sight – Boursorama

Air France: 14th day of the strike, no crisis in sight – Boursorama

check-in counters for Air France closed the Orly Airport, September 27, 2014 near Paris (AFP / Stéphane de Sakutin)

The strike by Air France pilots continues with less than half the flights operated Sunday with no prospect of crisis after the refusal of the government and the leadership of the group to appoint a mediator.

54% of its pilots on strike, the company plans to provide Sunday fourteenth day of conflict, 45% of its flights, a lower rate than Saturday as flights operated by its subsidiary Hop! are also less likely that day.

Despite pressure to stop the movement and warnings on the risk incurred by Air France in a prosecution, including a new call from the Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, to stop an “unbearable” strike, the pilots rejected the latest proposals from management.

Both accuse each other of refusing any concessions.

Negotiations been suspended in the night from Friday to Saturday with no appointment has been set.

But Saturday night, the main pilot union Transavia France, the low cost subsidiary of Air France, said in a statement that Air France pilots negotiate with the management of the new seniority rules, such as to be a “serious harm” to their interests.

Saturday morning, the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL majority) had told AFP have proposed a solution to end the crisis in which the pilots were “concessions” they claimed him on the table for a few days but blocked by Alexandre de Juniac, the CEO of Air France-KLM group in which the state holds 16%.

Transavia aircraft and Air France on the tarmac at Orly airport, near Paris, September 27, 2014 (AFP / Stéphane de Sakutin)

“The drivers were great concessions by accepting the conditions Working Transavia, but demanded in return a single employment contract, “said the spokesman of the union, William Schmid.

” False “, responded a spokesman for the company, alleging . the “meandering and contradictory positions SNPL”

“There is no firm proposal or draft agreement on the table” has he said, he said “the proposal which (the SNPL) refers is that of exploratory discussions “presented by pilots earlier this week and released” collegially by all of Air France and Air France-KLM “direction.

For the spokesman “the questioning of Mr. Juniac is absolutely false and rather curious,” said he insisted, holding the attitude of “hard to follow” drivers.

“We have on the table a plan to end the crisis yesterday (Friday), balanced, which provides guarantees for pilots and largely responds to concerns while enabling the development of Transavia conditions of low cost, “Has he said

-. ‘suspended indefinitely negotiations’ –

On this basis” negotiations can resume in the second. The door of the room is open day and night “Has he said.

Management proposed to maintain the employment of pilots” to the operating conditions and remuneration of Transavia France, to ensure the competitiveness of the latter and its development as a complement to the Air France network. “

Graphic on the main comparative figures of Air France and Transavia (AFP / L.Saubadu / A.Bommenel)

But this “does not address the concerns of the profession,” said the SNPL, which fears melt the benefits of being in favor of Air France Transavia status, less generous., he requested the appointment “of an independent “ombudsman. Proposal rejected by Matignon.

Since September 15, the pilots on strike protesting against the conditions of development of the low cost subsidiary of Air France. they have obtained the abandonment Project Transavia Europe, they want guarantees on working conditions at Transavia France.

For the moment, notice the SNPL runs until Tuesday, September 30 and included the SPAF second representative union, aligned himself Friday on that date, accusing the leadership of being “responsible for the deterioration of the situation”.

According to management, the position of Air France “becomes extremely difficult,” the company losing every day, “20 million euros.”

The industry (airports, tour operators, etc.) have them pointed out that the strike was “a catastrophe for the French aviation industry.”

Copyright © 2014 AFP. All rights of reproduction and distribution reserved.

All information displayed on this section (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by AFP. Therefore, none of this information may be reproduced, modified, transmitted, redistributed, translated, sold, exploited commercially or reused in any way whatsoever without the prior written consent of the AFP. AFP shall not be held liable for any delays, errors, omissions, which may not be excluded nor for the consequences of actions or transactions made on the basis of this information.