PARIS, Oct 30 (Reuters) - French airline staff unions called on Saturday for a four-day strike starting Nov. 5 in protest at new legislation that will reduce some discounts on plane tickets.
The legislation, unrelated to President Nicolas Sarkozy's recently approved pension reform, would mean airline personnel will have to pay tax on discounted plane tickets -- and other perks such as cut-price hotel rooms -- not provided by their direct employer, unions said.
Both the SNPNC flight attendant union and the SNPL France pilots' union called for a strike from Nov. 5 to Nov. 8.
The relevant article of law has already been approved but the government would still be able to amend it before the legislation reaches the French Senate, the SNPL union said.
The SNPNC represents 25 percent of flight attendants at Air France and also has an 'important presence' at other French airlines, a union official said.
Separately, six unions at Air France have called for a strike on Nov. 4 against Sarkozy's pension reform.
(Editing by Ralph Boulton)
(Reporting by Patrick Vignal and Lionel Laurent) Keywords: FRANCE FLIGHTS/ (lionel.laurent@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 56 85; Reuters Messaging: lionel.laurent.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The legislation, unrelated to President Nicolas Sarkozy's recently approved pension reform, would mean airline personnel will have to pay tax on discounted plane tickets -- and other perks such as cut-price hotel rooms -- not provided by their direct employer, unions said.
Both the SNPNC flight attendant union and the SNPL France pilots' union called for a strike from Nov. 5 to Nov. 8.
The relevant article of law has already been approved but the government would still be able to amend it before the legislation reaches the French Senate, the SNPL union said.
The SNPNC represents 25 percent of flight attendants at Air France and also has an 'important presence' at other French airlines, a union official said.
Separately, six unions at Air France have called for a strike on Nov. 4 against Sarkozy's pension reform.
(Editing by Ralph Boulton)
(Reporting by Patrick Vignal and Lionel Laurent) Keywords: FRANCE FLIGHTS/ (lionel.laurent@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 56 85; Reuters Messaging: lionel.laurent.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.