Most Air France unions have called off strikes planned for June 23-26 in the latest twist in a months-long conflict with staff over pay that has so far led to 15 strike days, the resignation of the former Air France-KLM group CEO and a financial cost of around €400 million ($462 million).
The unions said their threat of further strikes had led to off-the-record negotiations with management, but added: “Strikes are not an end in themselves but a means. “Air France’s unions are convinced it will be more efficient to wait to speak to the right person and therefore takes the decision to suspend its planned strikes for June 23-26.”
Unions that have called off the strike are those representing pilots (SNPL, Alter), ground staff (CGT, FO and SUD) and air stewards (SNPNC, Unsa-PNC, CFTC, SNGAF). 
Just one pilot union, SPAF, has maintained its strike notice for June 23-26.
The interim management team that is steering Air France-KLM through the crisis is expected to announce a replacement for former CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac in the coming weeks. He left in May after putting his job on the line by giving the entire workforce the chance to vote on a pay proposal, a move that backfired.
“We are well aware that the ‘emergency’ measures taken by the (interim) management are a huge provocation for the workforce and in no way fulfill our demand for salaries to catch up with inflation,” the airline’s unions said in a joint statement, referring to measures Anne-Marie Couderc, interim non-executive chair of Air France and Air France-KLM, and Air France CEO Franck Terner presented to the Air France Central Works Council on June 14. They promised renovated ramp facilities at Paris Orly Airport and increased rest areas for crew at Air France sites and said they would implement a new approach to listening to staff concerns, as they also called for the unions to drop their planned strikes.