A strike planned for yesterday and today by French air traffic controllers was cancelled yesterday, but the strike called for tomorrow by the other air traffic controllers’ union is still on, and expected to cause serious disruption tomorrow and Friday, the two days of the strike.
Meanwhile, on France’s English Channel coast, ferry workers from MyFerryLink have again blocked ferry movement between Calais and Dover, England, to protest the company’s sale of ferries to another company, which plans to lay off 375 of the 577 workers in a repeat of last week’s actions. As happened last week as well, striking workers-built bonfires of tires on tracks leading to the nearby Channel Tunnel, backing up train and truck traffic for miles on both sides of the Channel.
The last time the controllers were out in April, over 40% of flights in France were cancelled, and there were disruptions for traffic crossing France. The unions still planning to strike represent about half of the controllers. There are continuing negotiations, so the situation may change.
The controllers are demanding improved salaries and working conditions. They complain about a rise in air traffic, while the number of controllers has dropped, leading to overwork.
Photo: Darth Viral / Flickr
