AF Air FranceKLM

PARIS—Air France is preparing to replace a chief labor negotiator, a day after workers tore off his clothes amid contentious talks over restructuring the money-losing airline.

Xavier Broseta, the Air France human resources chief who was forced to scale a fence to escape a violent mob of workers Monday, is due to step aside in the coming months, according to Air France, government and union officials. Mr. Broseta's departure will pave the way for Gilles Gateau, a senior member of Prime Minister Manuel Valls's cabinet, to take the post, the officials said.

The change thrusts a government confidant to the front lines of Air France's high-stakes battle with pilots unions.

The French arm of the Franco-Dutch carrier Air France-KLM is pushing to make its operations more flexible so it can compete on two fronts: Gulf carriers that are eating into its lucrative long-haul routes to Asia and low-cost carriers undercutting Air France at home in Europe.

The Air France official said the replacement was agreed upon a couple of weeks ago, before the executive and his colleague, Pierre Plissonnier, had their suit jackets and shirts torn off by an enraged mob on Monday. Mr. Broseta is expected to take a different post at Air France-KLM.

"The decision is unrelated to the incident yesterday," the Air France official said.

Asked about Mr. Gateau's appointment, Minister of Social Affaires Marisol Touraine told French radio: "I wish him good luck, because obviously the job is difficult."

So far, the socialist government of President Franç ois Hollande has backed management in its decision to play hardball with unions. The company has threatened to close several long-haul routes and cut 2,900 jobs after pilots refused a softer overhaul that required them to fly more hours for the same pay.

"Air France has already made significant efforts," Mr. Valls said Tuesday, flanked by Messrs. Broseta, Plissonnier and other senior managers. "I'm calling on the pilots to be responsible."

Mr. Gateau is Mr. Valls's deputy chief of staff and oversees social matters. Messrs. Gateau and Broseta didn't return phone calls seeking comment.

Write to Stacy Meichtry at stacy.meichtry@wsj.com and Inti Landauro at inti.landauro@wsj.com

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 06, 2015 10:05 ET (14:05 GMT)

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