Labour strikes and riots overshadow Euro 2016 championship

(Vatican Radio) About a quarter of Air France pilots have gone on strike to demand better working conditions — the latest challenge to travelers and tarnishing France's image as it hosts Europe's biggest sporting event.

Listen to Stefan Bos' report:

Strikes and demonstrations over the country's labor reforms and other industrial disputes are further complicating efforts to host the European Football Championship Euro 2016, which is also suffering under terror threats and violence.

French leaders are frustrated that they have no time to celebrate their country's victorious start to the Euro 2016 football championship after France won the opening match against Romania. Officials had hoped hoped to put terrorism, strikes, and recent deadly flooding at least for some weeks behind them, as the country turns its attention to the European Championship soccer tournament, expected to draw over 2 million visitors.

But on Saturday Air France, the nation's main airline, said up to a fifth of flights are canceled, both domestic and international. Among those affected were flights carrying spectators to cities holding the matches. It's the latest standoff between unions and the government.

Weeks of strikes and demonstrations over the country's labor reforms and other industrial disputes already led to panic at the pumps, violent protests in the streets and, most recently, garbage rotting in the gutters. Unions are angry at a package of government labor reforms that will give big companies more freedom to hire and fire workers or extend working hours, moves the government says are needed to make France more competitive.

Among the most significant changes is a new rule allowing companies to reach collective pay deals with their own workers rather than having to match national agreements. Another new requirement says at least 50 percent of employees must endorse a pay deal.

UNIONS LOSING?

At present, unions representing only one-third of employees can negotiate pay settlements, and strikers fears the biggest losers could be larger, traditional unions.

Despite the obvious impact on Euro 2016, protesters refuse to end the strikes. "It's important to go on with the strikes, because we must stop this law," an angry woman said. 

That's not all. French police have stepped in to break up small groups of mainly British and Russian football fans fighting one another in Marseille

Separately riot police also dispersed crowds with tear gas after mainly English football fans clashed with French locals in the southern city. Several vollies of tear gas were fired to disperse the fans, many of whom appeared to be drinking heavily.

The latest disturbances saw several arrests. That violence comes at a moment when thousands of police and troops are already patrolling the streets amid ongoing terror threats. Yet, French President Francois Hollande made clear he remained confident that Euro 2016 would be a success.