Everyone knows the French to be a people of culture, refinement and romance. Depending upon whom you ask, they also have some of the world’s best cuisine. One of the more negative aspects of their culture is the prolific amount of strikes they have, the union of subway drivers, will often leave the city shut down for hours, if not days, and create massive problems.
Recently, there was a strike with French air traffic control. This in and of itself is not unusual, but the reaction to it is. The French airport unions have had two strikes in as little as ten days and the second one was purposefully aimed at Easter travelers.
Timing of these things is very important, but to stage strikes at a time as to cause disruptions for those that have little to do with their grievances is something that gives pause. It is accepted that airport unions will have grievances, but to willfully cause as much trouble to those that aren’t involved, breaks one of the unwritten rules of negotiation in these matters, and has led to an outcry from aviation authorities.
There have been requests for the British government to work more closely with the French government in order to reduce the huge negative impact and to reduce the recurrence of “disproportionate industrial action”.
The French have been known for liberty, fraternity and equality. In this instance they have gone about their pursuit of equality in a manner not consistent with normal negotiations. We will have to wait and see whether or not there will be negative repercussions the next time there is a strike.