Unions strike Air France to save jobs

Union leaders in France said 30 percent of Air France workers are participating in a strike scheduled to last through the weekend.

The airline’s management disagreed on the percentage, saying 23 percent of workers had walked off their jobs to protest a restructuring plan that will eliminate 10 percent of the company’s positions.

Radio France Internationale reported the strike set up by the union CGT had not resulted in the cancellation of any flights, in part due to a new law that requires unions to give management 48 hours notice about a strike.

That gave Air France time to react. But the union includes that legal provision — signed into law last year by former President Nicolas Sarkozy — among its list of complaints.

Copyright 2012 by United Press International