Turbulence expected for easyJet in France. The SNPNC-FO, UNAC-CFE-CGC and UNPNC-CFDT unions have jointly announced the filing of a strike notice covering all the airline's French bases, from the morning of Friday 7 August to the evening of Wednesday 2 September. While no specific date has been officially set, business travellers are expected to be only moderately affected by this industrial action during the peak summer break.
However, the latter reflects the unease of the low-cost airline's cabin crew in the face of a continuous deterioration in their working conditions. Union representatives had moreover launched their offensive with management in mid-July before suspending it due to the fires in the Gironde that impacted the Bordeaux base. On the one hand so as not to complicate the return of affected residents, but also because several delegates took part in fighting the fire, explains SNPC-FO in a report of the easyJet Works Council meeting published on 31 July.
However, while these dramatic fires have now been brought under control, the unions' wrath is still smouldering, stoked in particular by the prospect of the company being resold to an American fund, whether Castlelake or Apollo. " When a fund takes over a company, we already know what happens first: personnel costs are squeezed, benefits are reduced and working conditions are degraded just a little bit more in the race for profit at any cost. Nothing new under the sun. ", pointed out SNPC-FO on 22 July.
Roster instability, operational pressure with rotations scheduled with check-in only 25 minutes before departure, an increase in last-minute adjustments, and a growing number of night flights without any agreement on rest time, bonuses or procedural accommodations: the grievances highlighted by SNPC-FO are numerous in the face of an airline that has to deal with rising kerosene prices and increased taxes, not to mention heightened competition in certain markets.
Quoted by Le Figaro, the UNPNC-CFDT is inviting management to initiate “ genuine negotiations without delay to avoid a social crisis whose first victims would be the passengers Will this strike notice actually amount to anything in practice? The ball is now in the company's court.
