Olympic Games strike: “the opportunity to negotiate”

From July 26 to August 11, the Olympic Games will be held in Paris. The colossal organization required by these games sheds light on the crucial role of workers and makes it possible to establish a balance of power through strikes. The opportunity to negotiate bonuses but also longer-term gains.

“ We who have suffered democratic denials for years, in particular last year with the 49-3 on pensions: it is normal that at this moment when we are asked to work hard, we are asked to be listened to », summarizes Adèle Tellez, responsible for the issue of the Olympic Games for the CGT 75 departmental union.

From July 26 to August 11, the Olympic Games will be held in Paris. Hundreds of thousands of employees, whether they work directly or not to carry out these festivities, will be impacted in their daily work. And in different sectors, anger is brewing and the first days of strikes are taking place in the run-up to the Olympic Games.

This Wednesday, May 15, the CGT FTDNEAA, which notably unionizes Parisian garbage collectors and sewer workers, called a strike. After negotiation with the human resources department of Paris town hall, they obtained: “a revaluation of the compensation system has been ratified: 50 euros gross per month from July 2024 then 30 euros gross per month from January 2025” , assures the socialist town hall, adding that a “cycle of discussion on more specific subjects has also taken place”. The CGT FTDNEAA has not yet reacted to these announcements but the strike has ended.

Railway workers strike for the Olympic Games

On the railway workers side too, we are increasing the pressure. Their activity will be central this summer since the SNCF manages all commuter trains and several RER lines. “In Île-de-France we will have 1000 more trains on line D, for example. There will be an increase in the workload with a reinforced security aspect,” recalls Julien Troccaz, Sud-Rail federal secretary.

Thus, most local sections of SUD-Rail and the CGT-Cheminots are calling for a strike on May 21 to influence negotiations around railway workers’ bonuses during the Olympic Games, the unions announced.

“ These are mobilizations built locally, so there is not always union unity. But the demands are: reinforcements in the stations, no refusal of leave, favoring teleworking, no modification of working hours without agreement from the agents, bonus of 100 euros net per day, and above all, 400 euros net increase in salaries for all railway workers », continues the trade unionist. Currently, SNCF is offering compensation of 50 euros gross per day of presence this summer.

An Olympic Games strike that does not start in May

Social mobilization linked to the Olympics was not born in May. For several months, certain sectors have been mobilizing.

“ Of course we look at what is happening elsewhere. We must nevertheless see that there have been a certain number of places where there have already been victories: the agreement recently obtained on the end of careers at the SNCF, I cannot believe that it is not has no connection with the arrival of the Olympics; or even at the RATP. We also look at what is being done in Marseille », assures Adèle Tellez.

In the 2nd city of France, at the call of the CGT (4th union of the city), the garbage collectors mobilized with a renewable strike a few days before the passage of the flame, without the conflict leading to a victory for time.

For its part, the CGT-RATP had filed a strike notice from February to September, to influence its salary negotiations. Negotiations, carried out business by business, concluded on May 15. For six professions, agreements have been signed with the unions. Metro and RER drivers have, for example, obtained a bonus ranging from 1,600 to 2,500 euros for all those who will work between July 22 and September 8, depending on the number of days in actual service during the tests.

For its part, the CGT public services has filed a strike notice from May 1 to 31 to establish a balance of power in a broader context: that of the new bill “for the efficiency of the Civil Service”, which provides for a reduction in the rights of civil servants and the introduction of “merit” pay. She calls for the repeal of this bill, as well as an immediate 10% increase in the index point.

Moving forward on old issues

Beyond the bonuses, the important thing is to make older demands heard. The strikes in the run-up to the Olympics are therefore part of a long-term protest strategy. More than ever, they shed light on the crucial role of workers and help establish a balance of power.

“ The Olympics will be able to take place because there are people working for it, but these people are not recognized and their demands have not been heard for a long time. We who have suffered democratic denials for years, in particular last year with the 49-3 on pensions: it is normal that this moment when we are asked to work hard, well we, we ask to be listened to », summarizes Adèle Tellez of the UD CGT 75.

“ They explain to us that the Olympics are a global event, that there needs to be a truce. But to have a truce, this anger must be appeased. When we see that we are liquidating SNCF FREIGHT at the end of the year, when we have been bashing railway workers, on the end of career agreement, by making us pass for the super privileged, while at the same time we to the privatization of the TER and hundreds of railway workers who will switch to the private sector and be confronted with social dumping… We are not going to apologize for defending the interests of workers! », adds Julien Troccaz from Sud-Rail.

New professions could mobilize

In this context, other professions could enter into struggle in the weeks to come, particularly in the hotel industry, a sector particularly mobilized during the Olympics.

“ There are also hotels which, given the influx of visitors, do not allow paid leave during this period. This is unacceptable: we have single-parent employees, divorced or separated women who have alternating custody arrangements, how can we take care of the children? », Underlines Didier Del Rey, head of the hotels-cafes-restaurants branch at the CGT trade and services union in Paris.

Also, a strike could take place, particularly in palaces. “ The profession is devastated; employers need to keep employees and at the same time they know that the Olympics will increase their turnover. So this is a good opportunity to claim », continues the trade unionist.

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Of course, the Olympics will not just be a “good occasion”. In addition to the organizational burden that this sporting event has placed on the inhabitants of Paris and its suburbs, trade unionists fear that the Olympic Games will also be a pretext for reducing public freedoms. “ If employees want to demonstrate on a subject during the Olympics, we fear there will be bans on the pretext of a lack of security forces. For us it’s out of the question. So we have a lot of vigilance on that », concludes Adèle Tellez. The CGT is also considering setting up physical offices for employees, to prevent labor law from being put aside during the period.