Paris airports face strike ahead of Olympic Games

Several unions representing employees of Groupe ADP, the operator of Paris airports, have threatened to go on strike in early July, demanding bonuses related to the upcoming Olympic Games. The CGT, CFDT, FO and UNSA unions have been demanding additional funds for months to cope with the increased air traffic and the demands of organizing the Olympic Games.

During the summer, Paris’ Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly airports handle around 350,000 passengers a day. Although Groupe ADP does not expect a significant increase in passenger numbers due to the Olympic Games, it has taken measures to accommodate the athletes, including special pathways and temporary infrastructure.

The unions are issuing an “ultimatum” and are demanding a fair and uniform bonus for all staff employed during the Olympic Games and the elimination of staff shortages in around 1,000 positions. They are also demanding concrete measures to improve working conditions and guarantee year-round holiday entitlement.

If their demands are not met by July 5, the unions will announce a strike. This follows an earlier strike on May 19, which caused no major disruption. The ADP, which is majority state-owned, has not yet responded to the strike threat. Several public sector workers have successfully won bonuses for Olympic-related work in recent months, including those at RATP (Paris transport company) and SNCF (French railways).

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