French airline staff to stage 3-day strike in early February

As a strike by security personnel at certain airports here went into its eighth day Friday, airline personnel, including pilots, say they will call a three-day strike beginning February 6 to protest government plans to implement a "skeleton service" on unions during strike periods. Disruptions because of the security personnel strike, mainly at Paris and Lyon airports, were down to a minimum Friday, as the government on Thursday ordered 180 police officers and Gendarmes to bolster airport security checks for embarking passengers at airports. Non-union personnel have also been brought in to replace strikers in a move that has additionally infuriated unions, which have severely disrupted and delayed flights at Lyon and Paris for the past week in a bid to get a salary increase and better working conditions. The move by pilots and other airline staff aims to block legislation being tabled in the French Parliament that would force airline personnel to provide a minimum service even if there is a strike call. A similar system has been voted for public transport in major cities, meaning there will be at least around 10-25 percent of services on major urban, suburban and national grids during strikes.