Labor disputes roll across Europe
(CNN) — Lufthansa pilots may have reported back to work at midnight, but labor unrest continues to roll across Europe Tuesday as French air traffic controllers are expected to go on strike.
Half of Tuesday’s flights at Orly Airport in Paris, France, were expected to be canceled, along with 25 percent of flights at Charles de Gaulle Airport, as a result of a planned strike by four civil aircraft staff, including air traffic controllers, for Tuesday through Saturday.
The action comes a day after German-based Lufthansa and its pilot’s union agreed to suspend its standoff and return to the bargaining table. The suspension will expire on March 8, barring an agreement before then, both sides said in a Frankfurt labor court.
Also on Monday, British Airways cabin crew voted to strike, although no dates were announced. A planned 12-day walkout by Unite, the union which represents the workers, during the Christmas holidays was blocked by a judge.
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Unite said it is continuing negotiations with the airline. Like Lufthansa pilots, British Airways staff are concerned about wages and job security as larger, older airlines deal with the twin blows of the global recession and increased competition from low-cost carriers.
