French unions call three-day airline strike on February 6-9

Feb 3, 2012, 17:32 GMT

Paris - French trade unions on Friday called a three-day strike of airline industry workers from February 6 through 9 in order to protest a bill that would restrict their right to strike.

The country's biggest pilots' union SNPL confirmed the strike in a statement that denounced the bill as 'unfair and destructive for our profession.'

Unions representing cabin crew as well as the main general trade unions backed the strike call.

The bill approved by the lower house of parliament in January calls for 'guaranteed service' in the event of a strike and for workers to declare each day of their strike participation 48 hours beforehand.

France has similar requirements for railway strikes.

The trade unions point out that air travel, unlike rail, is not a public service.

The bill was introduced by a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling party after a strike by airport security workers in December, which caused minor disruptions.