Paris airport strike enters 3rd day, no flight delays reported

A first wave of holiday departures got under way this weekend as upto 200  Paris airport employees have been demonstrating against wage cuts. After initial disruption to flights over the first two days of industrial action, no significant flight delays have been reported this Saturday. 

Police officers stand guard as workers of Groupe ADP (Aeroports de Paris) participate in a strike, at the Charles-de-Gaulle airport in Roissy, near Paris, France, July 3, 2021. REUTERS - PASCAL ROSSIGNOL

The first July holiday makers reporedly took off without any problems this Saturday, despite a strike against wage cuts by employees of the Aéroports de Paris (ADP) group, which runs the Paris airports of Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly, continuing into its third day, after flight delays the previous day.

This Saturday morning, around one hundred employees marched in the car parks of terminal 2E at Roissy Charles De Gaulle, to the sound of a brass band.

They were waiting to be joined by another hundred protesters gathered elsewhere.

Soutien aux salariés ADP en grève. Ils, elles sont mobilisés contre un plan de licenciements massif et la détérioration de leurs conditions de travail. Il faut une réflexion stratégique avec les salariés pour penser le secteur aérien de demain, permettre la transition des emplois pic.twitter.com/h3xy4ip2NT

— Clémentine Autain (@Clem_Autain) July 1, 2021

However, several of the demonstrators were fined by the police for "obstructing the operation of the airport" and "unjustified presence at the airport", following a prefectural order.

They were fined €135.

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Negotiations to resume on Monday

Three unions - Unsa, CGT and CFE-CGC - are calling for the industrial action to continue until Monday to obtain the withdrawal of a plan to adapt work contracts (PACT), which provides for a reduction or elimination of bonuses.

If they refuse to sign up to the place, employees risk being fired.

According to one protester, members of the management "make us look privileged. I have a basic salary of €1,680, so bonuses are our salary." He maintains he will lose up to €300 euros per month.

At Orly, negotiations between management and unions have been suspended and are due to resume on Monday.

As for France's rail network, passengers had feared disruption to train travel at the beginning of the week but the three main railway unions lifted their strike notice for 3 and 4 July after an agreement with Ouigo management.  

The unions had filed several strike notices to demand more "recognition" for employees and denounced "worsening working conditions" on the low-cost Ouigo TGV service.