“It’s scandalous,” said Transport Minister Clément Beaune on Monday morning. EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP
The controllers decided on Saturday not to work when their union had not filed a strike notice.
It’s a surprise that travelers would have done without. Air traffic controllers decided not to work on the fourth day of mobilization against the pension reform, when their union had not called for a strike. Consequence: one out of two flights was canceled at Orly airport and that of Toulouse had to close in the evening. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) was thus forced to ask “airlines to reduce their flight schedule by 50% from 1:00 p.m. for the day“. The cancellations concerned “ 25 arrivals and 22 departures according to AFP.
The Minister of Transport, Clément Beaune, reacted strongly this Monday on Europe 1: “I deeply regret what happened on Saturday, especially at Orly“. “It’s a walkout, not to say savage, which is disrespectful and irresponsible […] It’s scandalous“he said in particular, before announcing that a meeting was organized with the DGAC in the morning”to avoid this kind of thing that does no one any favors“.
The minimum service has not been activated
The trade unions having not called for a strike, and no notice having been filed, the minimum service was not engaged, explained the Minister of Transport, as well as the DGAC. Unlike flight crew, maintenance or ground handling, controllers are not subject to the Diard law. However, it obliges employees to declare themselves strikers no later than 48 hours in advance in passenger air transport companies. Useful for organizing this famous minimum service, which obliges employees and companies, even in the event of a strike, to ensure the continuity of public services. However, air traffic controllers being civil servants, they are also subject to an obligation to give notice, said the USACcgt, the civil aviation union. During the last days of mobilization, the DGAC had asked “airlines to reduce their flight schedule by 20% only at Paris-Orly airport“.
As no notice was relayed, this unexpected initiative was only a matter of individual decisions according to a national secretary of the majority union among air traffic controllers, the SNCTA. There is therefore nothing to prevent the controllers from deciding to hold a “surprise” strike again at the next mobilization on February 16.
Read alsoStrikes: would it be possible to impose in France a real minimum service in transport?
“No, there was no surprise or illegal strike by air traffic controllers”
For its part, the first civil aviation union, the USACcgt, proclaims in a press release that “no, there was no surprise or illegal air traffic controller strike“. He explains that “DGAC staff, like all civil servants, were covered by numerous notices from the CGT, UNSA, FO and CFDT“. The union also points to the decision of the general directorate of civil aviation “not to set up the minimum service despite the alerts of local managers» before adding : «this choice may seem surprising given the social unrest within the DGAC“.
In total, 77,000 passengers were expected Saturday at Orly, for 479 planes planned, said the ADP group, manager of the airport. For a Saturday departure on vacation, the surprise did not go well.
SEE ALSO – Pensions: surprise strike at Orly, one in two flights canceled