French President François Hollande strongly denounced the violent strike initiated by angry employees of Air France on Monday, which left Human Resources chief Xavier Broseta and head of long-haul flights Pierre Plissonnier scrambling for safety with their clothes torn to shreds.
According to the French President, the actions of the workers were unacceptable and bad for France's image, reported The Guardian.
"Social dialogue matters, and when it's interrupted by violence and disputes take on an unacceptable form, it can have consequences for the image and attractiveness of the country," he said, referring to the incident.
Pictures of bare-chested executives fleeing over an eight-foot fence with their clothes torn to shreds have made news headlines all over the world. Alain Vidalies, the French transport minister, stated that the images of the battered executives amounted to a caricature of France that was unhelpful to the airline's image and future.
The violence erupted after productivity talks failed with Air France employees. As a result, the airline announced that 300 pilots, 900 flight attendants and 1,700 ground staff might need to be released from the company, reported Bloomberg Business.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has also condemned the incident, stating that he was "scandalized" over the levels of violence. He also added that "nothing justifies such outbursts."
A legal investigation has already been opened about the incident, with Air France lodging a complaint over aggravated violence. Seven people were reported to have been hurt in the incident, including a security guard who suffered serious injuries.
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