ITF backs Air France unions

Executive board member and federal secretary of the FEETS-FO union, Zainil Nizaraly, commented: “The resolution adopted today by the executive committee of the ITF is a strong message of support for the employees and Air France activists who are fighting against the social violence of job cuts and against the attempted criminalisation of union action."
 
ITF president Paddy Crumlin added: “Messages of support from ITF unions have been flooding in for Air France workers and their union ‘intersyndicale’ (coalition), and that international support will be on show today in Paris and in the weeks ahead until this plan to scythe jobs is abandoned.”
 
The text of the resolution adopted by the meeting in India today is as follows:
 
The Executive Board of the ITF meeting in Chennai on 22nd October 2015:
 
NOTES that Air France plans to cut 2,900 jobs – 1,700 ground staff, 900 cabin crew and 300 pilots – in 2016.
NOTES that the ITF Civil Aviation section has supported the actions and will continue to back our affiliates in their battle with Air France.
NOTES that our Air France affiliates immediately denounced the isolated incidents during the protests of 5th October in an otherwise peaceful demonstration that ended in 5 union leaders that were detained and prosecuted.
NOTES that Air France unions have called for tripartite social dialogue in order to define a strategy of industrial redevelopment of the airline instead of a strategy of job and costs reduction. They have already worked with Air France to implement important productivity efforts.  
BELIEVES that forcing skilled workers into unemployment is the original act of violence.
OPPOSES to any attempt to criminalize the actions of trade unions and demands the reinstatement of the dismissed workers.
OPPOSES any plan of dismissals in any of the airlines of the Air France-KLM group.
ENCOURAGES affiliates to act in unity and supports the “intersyndical” of Air France unions for the national demonstration on 22 October (TODAY) to protest against the company’s dismissal plan and to demand a better future for Air France workers.
CALLS ON ITF affiliates to commit support to this struggle.
 
*See http://goo.gl/A8Yxb2 and http://goo.gl/jOWGqc