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Hollande urges "peaceful" social dialogue to end Air France standoff

Xinhua, October 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday calls for the resumption of calm social dialogue between union and Air France managers a day after angry workers stormed the company's meeting to protest its plan of massive jobs cut.

"There must be a peaceful social dialogue. If it is interrupted by unacceptable violence, this has consequences for the country's attractiveness," Hollande said.

"On the contrary, a responsible dialogue between employers, who take the decisions that are expected, and union leaders, who play the only card of compromise and negotiation, is a real asset," he added during a visit to Le Havre, north France.

With the aim to trim cost and face fierce competition, France's main flag carrier Air France planned to slash 2,900 jobs by 2017, including 1,700 ground staff, 900 cabin crew, and 300 pilots.

It also said to reduce the long-haul business by 10 percent over the period with a major focus on route of low profitability such as Asia and the Middle East.

All these measures were "vital to ensuring the long-term future of Air France and allow it to finance its growth", according to Alexandre de Juniac, chairman and chief executive officer of parent Air France-KLM.

Opposing the company's Perform 2020 plan, the employees broke up a board meeting and injured seven members of its staff, according to local medias.

The parent Air France-KLM said it planned to take legal action over the "aggravated violence" carried out against its managers. Enditem