The unions announced the actions because negotiations over salary increases and other employment conditions have failed. Air traffic control wants to make its own organization more productive, but the unions believe that the changes should be accompanied by higher salaries.
Travelers are likely to experience a lot of inconvenience from the action on Thursday. According to the unions, up to 75 percent of flights to Paris Orly and up to 65 percent of flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle will probably be canceled. The unions also expect major delays for the flights that are still being operated. The impact of the strikes in May is not yet known.
The announcement has also raised concerns about the risk of strikes at the Paris Olympics this summer. Hundreds of thousands of extra visitors are then expected in the French capital. Unions could use this pressure by threatening strikes around that time to force significant wage increases.
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Tags: Possibly flight cancellations due action French air traffic controllers
