Workers at Paris airports are threatening to go on strike just one day before the start of the 2024 Olympic Games due to a dispute over bonuses for staff. Unions representing workers for the Aéroports de Paris, including Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, are calling for strike action on Wednesday, 17 July. The unions are not happy that ADP workers are not receiving an Olympic bonus, denouncing the chief executive’s decision to only pay a bonus to some personnel. The potential strike could cause disruption just nine days before the start of the Games, with up to 350,000 people expected to transit through the airports during the Olympics.
The strike announcement by airport workers is just one of many demands being made by various public sector workers in France ahead of the Olympics. Unions representing police, air traffic controllers, rubbish collectors, central government employees, and train drivers have also called for increased pay for having to work through the event, which lasts until 11 August. This comes as the leftist New Popular Front (NFP) unexpectedly secured the highest number of seats in a recent snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron. The NFP has promised to hike the minimum wage and provide meaningful salary increases for public sector workers.
The scale of the potential airport strike is not yet clear, but these types of walkouts usually do not result in flight cancellations. However, they can cause chaos at airport security and baggage carousels depending on how many staff actually participate in the strike. Both Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports are expected to be the main gateways for tourists to enter France for the Olympics, with thousands of athletes set to arrive in the Olympic Village from 18 July onwards. The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics is planned for 26 July, and the strike could potentially impact the smooth operation of the airports just before the games begin.
Unions representing workers at Paris airports have denounced the chief executive’s unilateral decision to only pay bonuses to some personnel, leading to the threat of a strike just before the 2024 Olympics. The potential walkout by members of the CGT, CFDT, FO, and UNSA unions could disrupt operations at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, which are crucial gateways for tourists and athletes attending the Games. With various public sector workers across France also calling for increased pay during the Olympics, the situation is becoming increasingly tense as the date of the strike approaches.
The announcement of a potential strike by workers at Paris airports has raised concerns over possible disruptions just days before the 2024 Olympics begin. The dispute over bonuses for ADP workers has led to calls for strike action by unions, including the CGT, CFDT, FO, and UNSA. The strike, if it does go ahead, could impact operations at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, both important entry points for tourists and athletes traveling to France for the Games. As unions representing various public sector workers also demand salary increases during the Olympics, the situation is becoming more complex as the date of the strike nears.