French Atc Strike Postponed

A planned strike by French air traffic controllers scheduled for September 18 and 19 has been postponed.

The SNCTA union, which represents more than two-thirds of the country’s air traffic controllers, announced the suspension of the strike action to allow a new government more time to review its demands. The union emphasized that the current strike deadline was “no longer compatible with the possibility of achieving demands due to a lack of interlocutors.”

With no minister of transport currently in the government, SNCTA said the decision to postpone the strike was made to give the new administration time to address their concerns. However, the union has indicated that if no progress is made, new strikes are planned for October 7-10.

For years, SNCTA has criticized the governance of air traffic control in France, citing issues such as mistrust, punitive practices, and degrading management methods. The union has called for significant reforms, including a pay increase for air traffic controllers and changes to management practices.

While the strike action has been suspended, potential disruptions remain as other ATC and transport unions have not yet confirmed whether they will also suspend their planned actions.

The union’s statement underscores the growing frustration among air traffic controllers, who argue that the current dialogue with the government has been unproductive, hindering any real progress or reform.

The article French ATC strike postponed first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.