On Tuesday, a strike over Olympic pay is set to cause disruptions to transportation and airport services in Paris. The trade unions are pictured in the image above protesting against the SNCF.
On the day before negotiations regarding bonuses for the Olympic Games, a strike at the rail and airport will result in four out of five commuter trains being cancelled on certain Paris lines, causing significant chaos at France’s two primary airport hubs.
According to SNCF, traffic will experience significant interruptions, as certain lines will be temporarily suspended outside of peak hours. In response, the operator’s Transilien Paris regional network is advising individuals to either work remotely or seek alternative modes of transportation on Tuesday, as this follows a public holiday on Monday.
The unions representing rail workers are currently putting pressure on SNCF during their negotiations for bonuses during the Olympic period. On the other hand, the unions for RATP, the transportation company responsible for Paris’ metro and bus services, have already managed to secure an average bonus of 1,000 euros ($1,086), with a maximum of €2,500 for highly sought-after train and bus drivers.
According to Fabien Villedieu from the SUD-Rail union, the discussions were taking too long and they wanted to stir things up. He explained that due to the increase of 4,500 trains in August, their workload has become overwhelming and many of their colleagues will not be able to take their vacations.
The proposal of a strike at SNCF for the Olympics has been met with criticism by Berenger Cernon, a representative of CGT cheminots, who referred to it as a “rather absurd idea”.
The declaration is made at the same time as the request for a strike at the airports in Paris. The unions CGT, CFDT, FO, and Unsa have jointly urged employees at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly airports to halt their work on Tuesday, May 21. Their requests involve hiring more staff, initiating talks about a salary increase, and providing “uniform bonuses” for workers who were active during the Olympic Games.
In a press release, the unions stated that the current workforce is insufficient to handle the rising traffic and the growing expectations for service quality. As per a union representative interviewed by Le Parisien, the planned mobilisation will encompass all employees and is expected to have a considerable impact, yet without causing significant disruptions at France’s primary airport hubs, Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly.
The representatives of Aeroports de Paris (ADP) employees are requesting an “urgent plan for recruitment” and “prompt discussions on revising salary scales.” They are also insisting on a “uniform bonus for all ADP employees (whether voluntary or not/working or not) who worked between 8 July and 15 September” during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Under the call of CGT, employees of the city of Paris held a strike and protest. They are demanding a 1900€ bonus for all employees for the 2024 Olympic Games, which will be held in Paris. Luc Auffret tweeted about the strike and protest on April 24, 2024.
According to an article, the lead up to the Games has been marred by strikes and threats of industrial action, coming from various groups such as rubbish collectors, government workers, and medical workers. The issue of rubbish collection has also been a major concern for the upcoming event, with employees successfully securing a pay increase and additional Olympic bonus in order to avoid planned strikes in May and during the Games.
The French police, who have been tasked with securing the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, have received an additional payment for their services. This comes as protests and trade union actions have erupted, demanding improved salary conditions.
