4HolerPoler
30th Oct 2001, 03:12
Air Afrique rescue talks on
Abidjan - A crippling strike by pilots and cabin crew of ailing carrier Air Afrique entered a seventh day on Monday as the protestors held simultaneous talks with the management in Abidjan and Dakar.
An official from the company said the talks were aimed at thrashing out contentious issues, mainly revolving around three months' salary arrears due to the staff.
The indefinite strike, which started from midnight on Monday, has led to the cancellation of all the airline's flights. Air Afrique currently operates five flights daily on average.
The protestors also want certain decisions taken by the new company boss, Marcel Kodjo of Togo, to be revoked, arguing that they went contrary to an agreement forged with Air France.
They want Kodjo to sack "about 20 directors with a tainted track record", whom he took back recently.
The union leaders say they have proof of bribery and mismanagement on the part of some directors, whom they blame for the company's present woes.
The carrier, which faces a €510 million ($464 million) debt burden, is seen as overstaffed with a total of 4 200 workers, of whom 600 are flight crew.
In August, Air Afrique's 11 member states agreed on a restructuring which should leave them with just 20% of Air Afrique's shares and give Air France 35%, allowing it to become the principle shareholder.
The troubled carrier, once a symbol of African co-operation, was set up 40 years ago.
Abidjan - A crippling strike by pilots and cabin crew of ailing carrier Air Afrique entered a seventh day on Monday as the protestors held simultaneous talks with the management in Abidjan and Dakar.
An official from the company said the talks were aimed at thrashing out contentious issues, mainly revolving around three months' salary arrears due to the staff.
The indefinite strike, which started from midnight on Monday, has led to the cancellation of all the airline's flights. Air Afrique currently operates five flights daily on average.
The protestors also want certain decisions taken by the new company boss, Marcel Kodjo of Togo, to be revoked, arguing that they went contrary to an agreement forged with Air France.
They want Kodjo to sack "about 20 directors with a tainted track record", whom he took back recently.
The union leaders say they have proof of bribery and mismanagement on the part of some directors, whom they blame for the company's present woes.
The carrier, which faces a €510 million ($464 million) debt burden, is seen as overstaffed with a total of 4 200 workers, of whom 600 are flight crew.
In August, Air Afrique's 11 member states agreed on a restructuring which should leave them with just 20% of Air Afrique's shares and give Air France 35%, allowing it to become the principle shareholder.
The troubled carrier, once a symbol of African co-operation, was set up 40 years ago.