Many flights operating out of French airports like Paris-Orly, Toulouse, Nantes were cancelled over the weekend due to ongoing strike action by air traffic controllers.
France’s civil aviation authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), announced last week that it had asked airlines to cancel scores of flights at French airports on Saturday and Sunday due to strike action by air traffic controllers.
‘Disruptions and delays are nevertheless to be expected,’ the DGAC said in its announcement, which was posted to Twitter.
The DGAC also encouraged those with travel plans for April 1st or 2nd to consider postponing their journey.
French civil aviation authorities asked airlines to cancel 20 per cent of flights operating out of the Toulouse and Bordeaux airports on Saturday.
On Sunday, the DGAC requested that 25 per cent of flights at Paris-Orly airport, and 20 per cent of flights at the Toulouse, Bordeaux and Nantes airports, be cancelled.
Travellers were told to check with their airline to see whether their flight was still scheduled, particularly prior to leaving for the airport.
Air traffic controllers have continued to strike in protest against controversial pension reform in France.
The flight cancellations for Saturday and Sunday came after numerous flights were scrapped over Thursday and Friday, with 20 to 25 per cent of flights at several French airports, such as Paris-Orly, Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse cancelled.
Industrial action has continued across several sectors, and French unions called for an 11th day of action in protest of pension reform on Thursday, April 6th.
Appeal of the 53rd congress: United and united in the struggle
The CGT held its 53rd congress from March 27th to 31st in Clermont Ferrand, in a context of struggles against pension reform.
The 942 delegates gathered at the CGT Congress in Clermont Ferrand reaffirmed their opposition to the pension reform carried out by the government and employers.
Sophie Binet was elected general secretary of the CGT!
The CGT considers it essential to give an unprecedented scale to the mobilisation of April 6, to amplify the balance of power by multiplying strike actions, blockades, occupations decided in general assembly.
After 10 days of high point in a historic mobilisation which brought together millions of people, in the streets everywhere in metropolitan France and overseas and while employees are on renewable strike in the country, Emmanuel Macron cannot no longer remain deaf and blind to the massive rejection of his anti-social reform the CGT congress asserted.
The government is ready for anything bad to get out of the crisis for which it is responsible.
‘No to the extension of the contribution period, no to retirement at 64! Yes to the pure and simple withdrawal of this illegitimate, unjust, unjustifiable and unjustified reform! There will be no mediation or compromise,’ said the CGT.
The CGT reaffirms its demand for a full and complete retirement at age 60 with early departures for all heavy work and the maintenance of all pioneering schemes.
The delegates of the 53rd congress of the CGT condemned in the strongest terms the acts of the police and the bosses.
Wherever they come from, the violence will not reduce the anger of the world of work which drives this historic social mobilisation.
The CGT condemns the requisitions and the non-respect of the right to strike, a right with constitutional value.
The CGT demands the abolition of all legal proceedings against activists in the context of trade union actions and demonstrations.
After years of wage austerity, more and more employees, precarious, unemployed, young and retired, are no longer able to cope with inflation, it cannot last any longer.
The CGT reaffirms all of its demands:
- increase in wages
- SMIC (minimum wage) at 2,000 euros
- reinstatement of the sliding scale of wages
- unfreezing of the index point
Fully mobilised against the pension reform, the delegates of the 53rd congress protest against the deterioration of the international situation and reaffirm their commitment to peace and international solidarity between peoples and unequivocally proclaim their rejection of war.
Faced with this oppression of capital and its relays and faced with the climate emergency, we confirm our fundamental values of class, mass, democracy and independence.
We reaffirm that in this violent struggle of capital against humanity and the planet, our strength is to work to bring together the world of work as widely as possible, as the CGT has been doing for 128 years.
The delegates of the 53rd congress recall their commitment to the fight for equality between women and men as well as the fight against all discrimination and all sexist and sexual violence.
The congress denounces the attack on a comrade in Albi by a far-right group.
The delegates of the 53rd congress also call on the world of work to maintain the greatest vigilance and the greatest firmness against the far right and its nauseating ideas.
The delegates of the 53rd Congress representing the entire CGT affirm that we will remain the union of all, regardless of their origins, gender or beliefs.
We are faced with multiple emergencies that require the implementation of real breakthroughs that put the human aspect first, the response to the basic needs of the population and the emancipation of workers.
The 53rd congress calls on employees, retirees, unemployed and young people to engage in all the struggles proposed, led and organised by the CGT and to renewal in all forms.
The 53rd Congress calls on all employees to continue their commitment to the current strikes, to come and amplify the mobilisations and to join the CGT to fight all together UNTIL VICTORY!
After several months of exchanges in the unions, the CGT undertakes to build a unionism of social rupture to fight against liberal and financial policies and win new rights, to develop its forces and its electoral audience, to raise and broaden the balance of power.
The document was voted on by 72.79%. After the integration of the amendments, it will be published in the next few days.
Finally the delegates elected the new management composed of 66 members and its new general secretary, Sophie Binet.
In her conclusions, the new secretary general welcomed the comrades who have been on strike for several weeks for the withdrawal of the pension reform.
From the ambitious orientation document, the CGT will launch a major unionisation campaign, and carry the industrial reconquest and the development of public services.
