The French air traffic controllers were planning a “record mobilization”, but this will not be the case. The majority union among French air traffic controllers has announced the lifting of its strike notice for Thursday. “An agreement has been reached, the SNCTA is lifting its notice,” explained the organization in a short message on its website, following a “last minute” conciliation with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC).
The notice was filed after the failure of negotiations on accompanying measures for an overhaul of air traffic control, in particular salary increases. The negotiations, which began fifteen months ago, aimed to overhaul the organization of air traffic control in France to “increase productivity”, explained the trade unionist. This will notably involve a reduction from 30 to 16 of “approach control centers” but also “disengaging from an unknown number of aerodromes”, he added.
25% increase in remuneration
Questions of work organization but also training were on the agenda of the negotiations, the context being that of a planned increase in air traffic of 20 to 30% by 2030, while a third of the current 4,000 controllers must retire in the early 2030s, according to the unionist. The SNCTA is demanding a 25% increase in remuneration, spread over the years 2023-2027, which it believes would leave room for the DGAC to continue to invest.
The legal framework for air traffic controller strikes has recently been reformed. All airline agents must individually declare their participation in a strike no later than noon two days before. In the event of a strike, the administration asks airlines to give up part of their flight schedules departing from or arriving at French airports, in order to match available personnel and the number of planned movements.
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