Paris airport staff strike ends: Impact on Olympic travel

The action would have caused delays for passengers at two major airports. An agreement means there are unlikely to be any strikes by workers during the Olympics.

A strike by Paris airport staff was called off at the last minute after an agreement was reached between unions and management on Tuesday evening (July 16).

Four major unions called on staff at Paris’ two largest airports, Charles de Gaulle, Roissy and Orly, to strike today (July 17) over a dispute over Olympic bonuses for workers.

The unions demanded that all airport employees should receive a bonus for their work during the Olympics. They estimated that work during the Olympics would be busier – and more difficult – than during the usual peak summer season.

Management from the Airports in Paris (ADP), which operates the two airports and is majority owned by the French state, initially rejected the application, which led to Unions submitting the strike request on July 8.

The deal, agreed by the majority of union representatives and ADP, “provides for the payment of a standard bonus for each … employee,” airport management said.

“Special bonuses are planned for employees who volunteer to welcome the Olympic delegations and look after their luggage, as well as for operational employees who are assigned to certain additional tasks,” the ADP added.

Strikes by other transport workers planned during the Olympic Games

The strike was not expected to cause disruption to air traffic, but it is likely that passengers would spend more time transiting through airports due to fewer available staff.

In addition, without an agreement, workers could have gone on strike during the Olympic Games, which would have caused massive disruption for visitors to the event in Paris.

However, it is now likely that they will take no action for the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and will commit to an Olympic “ceasefire” together with air traffic controllers.

Employees of the Paris public transport company RATP have filed a strike request that will last from February to mid-September and will include the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

However, this does not necessarily mean that workers will stop work, but that workers have the right to strike during these days if they wish (while complying with legal procedures).

The impact has been relatively minor so far and it is unknown how disruptive the strikes will be throughout the Games. Police officers across France are also striking during the Olympics.

Read more: UPDATED: Strikes in France in July 2024 and how you could be affected