Air France managers had their shirts ripped from their backs during a protest over proposed job cuts at the airline on Monday.
Union activists stormed Air France headquarters during a meeting at Roissy Airport, which is just north of Paris, about the thousands of potential layoffs.
.@AirFranceFR va porter plainte après l'agression de deux directeurs, chemises arrachées par des salariés en colère https://t.co/z9gCRsgQN0— iTELE (@itele) October 5, 2015
The two men scaled fences to escape nearly 100 activists who had stormed the building. Images emerged of the two high-level managers, one bare-chested and the other with his shirt and suit jacket shredded, during their panicked retreat. Air France said it would file a complaint for aggravated assault.
Air France executives, shirts ripped from their backs, flee angry employees protesting plan that would cut 2,900 jobs pic.twitter.com/tIqefyHZB3— AFP Photo Department (@AFPphoto) October 5, 2015
Alexandre de Juniac, the CEO of Air France-KLM, announced on Friday that the company would have to cut jobs after failing to reach an agreement with pilots. French media, citing the unions, reported a proposal to slash 2,900 jobs.
De Juniac said the company was being squeezed by low-cost airlines in Europe and Gulf carriers for long-haul flights. Monday's meeting was intended to detail the cuts, which he told Europe 1 radio would be "significant."
#AirFrance > Le secrétaire d'Etat aux Transports Alain Vidalies a qualifié d'"inacceptables" les violences physiques pic.twitter.com/V8ocZNnqov— iTELE (@itele) October 5, 2015
"At a certain moment, the Gulf companies, who have low fuel prices and who receive government subsidies, compete with us," said Yves Porte, an activist who represents cargo workers. "It's impossible, we are not on a level playing field."
Although Monday's scuffle was unusually violent, labor relations in France are common, with unions sometimes even resorting to holding managers hostage — or "boss-napping" — to make a point.
Les violences ne font en rien avancer la recherche d'une solution pour Air France. Le gouvernement appelle à la reprise du dialogue.— Alain Vidalies (@AVidalies) October 5, 2015
France's transport secretary, Alain Vidalies, condemned the violence, saying in a tweet it was "unacceptable and must be punished."
Some information from the Associated Press.