French airport workers strike for higher pay amid inflation

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Flights from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and other French airports faced disruptions Friday as airport workers held a strike to demand salary hikes to keep up with inflation and an urgent hiring push to deal with resurgent travel demand. France's civil aviation authority said 17% of scheduled flights out of Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris were canceled between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday, primarily short-haul routes. A few hundred workers wearing union vests blocked a key road approaching Charles de Gaulle, forcing passengers to drag their suitcases by foot along a bypass to reach their terminals. “Those responsible are the various bosses who hurried to lay off workers during the COVID period to reduce the cost of labor.” Paris airport workers are seeking a raise of 6% raise retroactive to Jan. 1, while management is proposing 3%, according to French media reports.