French air-traffic controllers took strike action in February 2004 in protest at a plan to reorganise Paris area air-traffic control, and at a lack of consultation over the initiative. The action was ended by an agreement to review the situation.
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French air-traffic controllers took strike action in February 2004 in protest at a plan to reorganise Paris area air-traffic control, and at a lack of consultation over the initiative. The action was ended by an agreement to review the situation.
On 16-18 February 2004, industrial action by all air-traffic controllers at Paris Orly airport resulted in the cancellation of 60% of flights. The action was called by the Civil Aviation Union (Union syndicale de l’aviation civile, USAC-CGT) affiliated to the General Confederation of Labour (Confédération générale du travail, CGT), and the Civil Aviation Employees’ Union (Syndicat des personnels de l’aviation civile, SPAC-CFDT) affiliated to the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (Confédération française démocratique du travail, CFDT). At the same time, the CGT Civil Aviation Union (Union syndicale de l’aviation civile, USAC-CGT) also called strike action at the nearby Athis-Mons air-traffic control centre. The action was in protest at a plan to reorganise Paris area air-traffic control by shifting most control tower staff from Orly to Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport. Only staff responsible for directing aircraft on the ground would remain at Orly.
Orly and Roissy airports are located respectively in the south and north of the Paris area. The plan was to create a single radar control centre for approaching aircraft, as is the case in London, New York and other cities around the world. The initiative was taken by the Ministry of Transport based on a proposal by the majority trade union in the sector, the National Union of Air-Traffic Controllers (Syndicat national des contrôleurs du transport aérien, SNCTA), which considered this move necessary in order to improve coordination between air-traffic controllers, so improving safety.
The Minister launched the initiative without consulting the other unions. Even SNCTA itself reportedly did not inform its Orly chapter, which consequently took part in the strike. CGT condemned the Minister’s failure to consult prior to putting forward the initiative, but neither endorsed nor rejected the plan, saying that it should be a matter for negotiation. CFDT stated that the Orly controllers were not very keen on leaving their current workplace to move to the opposite end of the Paris area. The Ministry and Orly airport management tended to see the industrial action as mainly an issue of inter-union rivalry.
The action ended when a deal was struck by the Ministry and CGT and CFDT, and once SNCTA had asked the Ministry 'in a spirit of conciliation' to withdraw the initiative. The agreement pledges a review, with input from employees on the organisation and performance optimisation of the Paris area air-traffic control system. The situation will be assessed and a plan outlining all the possible solutions will be drawn up.
In early March 2004, SNCTA called for industrial action over pension reform. Given that air-traffic controllers must retire by the time they are 57, recent pension reform legislation could mean that some of them would not be entitled to a full pension at this age (FR0309103F). However, an agreement was reached with the Minister which averted strike action.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (2004), Air-traffic controllers strike over reorganisation plan, article.
