As French ski resort workers threaten strikes, how could they affect half-term holidays?

French ski workers have threatened “unlimited” strike action from 31 January.

Head of the lift operators’ branch of the Force Ouvriere union, Eric Becker, said: “We have decided to call for a strike during the February holidays because demands are listened to more during this period.”

Holidaymakers are understandably concerned that the industrial action could affect upcoming half-term holidays, which land roughly between 13-19 February in the UK. Meanwhile, France’s holiday equivalent runs from 4 February to 4 March.

But how could it affect your next ski trip? Here’s everything we know so far.

Who is going on strike?

Two of the largest unions in the industry, Force Ouvrière and Confédération Générale du Travail, have both submitted open-ended plans to strike.

The former represents ski lift operators, while the latter represents seasonal workers.

The ski lift and resort staff are planning to strike as part of a wider dispute about pension reforms in France, as well as proposed benefit changes for seasonal workers.

What does “unlimited” mean in this case?

The open-ended element of the action leaves uncertainty about which dates workers could strike on, and how this may impact upon the half-term holidays for both the UK and France.

According to Connexion France, “It is unlikely that ski resort employees will be on strike every day. The call for an ‘unlimited’ strike is to allow for the seasonal workers to join in with the nationwide demonstrations regarding pension reforms which are set to take place on January 31.”

It says that workers are likely to choose to strike on a second date during February, coinciding with another national strike against pension reforms.

Mr Becker has said that service will resume as normal on 1 February.

Tour operators are still unpicking the scale of the impact on ski trips in the coming weeks, with many advising customers to keep in touch as announcements unfold.

Union bosses have hinted that action could escalate over the dates of the Ski World Cup in Courchevel and Meribel.

The event is set to take place from 6-19 February, and Confédération Générale du Travail’s Eric Becker has warned of “especially strong action” around this time.

How could French ski resort strike action affect half-term holidays?

As it is not yet clear how long the French ski resort strikes could go on for, it’s uncertain what level of worker shortages could hit resorts over the UK half-term holidays.

The strike action is to affect ski lifts being operated, but this is expected to involve staggered stoppages, rather than all lifts being closed at once. An erratic service is expected.

Travellers heading to a French ski resort after 31 January should contact their holiday provider for more information.

If you’ve booked a package through a tour operator, they may contact you to prepare you for any changes to your holiday.

A Crystal Ski spokesperson told The Independent: “We’re aware of potential ski lift operator strike action during February. We’re working with our partners in our resorts to understand the impact so we can help mitigate disruption where possible.

“We will be liaising with customers who are travelling to France during this time directly to keep them updated.”

The Independent has contacted France’s tourist board and several ski specialists for clarification on the scale and dates of the walkouts.