French PM calls for severe punishment after violence at Air France

[October 06, 2015]  PARIS (Reuters) - The people who attacked managers at Air France on Monday, when the human resources chief's shirt was ripped off in images that went around the world, must be severely punished, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Tuesday.

"These are the acts of thugs," Valls said at Air France's headquarters near Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport. "Violence is unacceptable ... there must be severe sanctions."

Valls called for negotiations to continue between the airline and its staff, and said the government supported Air France's management in its efforts to turn around the company.

Air France managers fled a meeting with the works council on Monday about mass job cuts after angry staff waving banners and flags stormed the room.

(Reporting by Ingrid Melander; Editing by James Regan)

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