French airport workers are set to strike again on 17 July 2024, amid an ongoing row about pay and conditions at Paris hubs. With the start of the Olympic Games looming on 26 July, the most recent call to industrial action could affect visitors arriving for the events, as well as thousands of athletes.
Selective bonuses
The dispute centres on state operator Aéroports de Paris (ADP), which runs the French capital’s two major airports, Orly and Roissy Charles de Gaulle. Representing workers there, unions, including France’s second largest, the Confederation General du Travail (CGT), the FCDT, FO and UNSA, have denounced “unilateral decisions from the chief executive”.
Calling out the management’s choice “to pay a bonus to only some personnel”, the unions are demanding bonuses for all staff required to work on behalf of the national and international sporting showcase during what would normally be the French summer vacation period. They are also asking for additional resources during the peak Olympics period.
Eyes of the world
The latest strikes were announced earlier this week with the aim of ramping up pressure on management at a critical time when the eyes of the world will be on France and its ability to run a smooth operation.
The airports are anticipating an estimated 350,000 people per day to pass through during the Olympics Games. That includes arriving athletes, coaching staff and sporting equipment, some of which is bulky and needs special handling, such as bikes, kayaks, or poles. Charles de Gaulle airport even has a new temporary oversized baggage facility to cope with the influx.
Designed to hit athletes?
But with the Olympic village due to open to athletes on 18 July, the timing of the airport workers’ strike just a day before seems intended to cause maximum disruption to the preparations for the events despite recent government attempts to legislate to minimise the impact of strike action.
And it is not just airport workers who are flexing their right to withdraw their labour. In addition to air traffic control, a range of workers, from metro and train drivers, to police and firefighters, to refuse collectors are demanding more recognition while the Olympic spotlight falls on the country. What’s more, at the National Mint, where medals are being pressed for the competition, workers have also been involved in industrial action, though medal production remains on track, officials say.
