Dassault Aviation To Lay Off 3,000 In France

PARIS, FRANCE -- French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation said Tuesday that it would put 3,000 of its 8,400 employees in France on forced leave to cope with the economic slowdown.

They will be put on forced leave and reduced pay for about one week per month from September until February, a source in the company's management told AFP, citing a collapse in business air traffic.

Dassault also said last month that it would cut hundreds of jobs in the U.S.

It was the first time since the aviation sector crisis in 1990-1991 that Dassault has been forced to take such action.