The right to strike is in French DNA. And they will prove it at the Olympics. This was announced by the General Confederation of Labor (CGT). a great Olympic strike. The mandatory notification for the measure of force was filed this week. The Fuerza Obrera has been added to it, which extends the period until September 8th.
“There is no respite for the Paris Olympic Games,” they announced.
Will the government’s nightmare come true? Strike notices will be presented throughout the Olympic Gamesfrom the end of July to mid-August, confirmed the general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet.
One of the main problems for the head of the first public services union is the payment of the bonus. Also on the table are extensions and rest days not taken during the Games.
The General Confederation of Labor (CGT) rejects the bonus offer for the Olympic Games he wants more money and free time for members in the summer period, the entire period of the usual family holidays.
France’s most powerful public sector union has threatened to disrupt the Olympics of Paris, presenting a strike notice for almost the entire summer.
The threat of the CGT
The hard line of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) rejected a government offer bonuses of up to 1,500 euros for public sector staff called to work during the Olympic Games.
The issue is very delicate, in a country whose desire to transform the Olympic Games into a month of national greatness, in the showcase of the world, clashes with the profound attachment of its population to the sacred summer holidays, to the closure of restaurants and boutiques in months of July and August and towards the beach. Especially when Paris will be inundated with travel restrictions, mandatory QR codes to enter from one area to another and a ban on vehicle circulation, with the country on “emergency attack” alert.
The construction of an athletics track, in front of the Trocadero Palace, in Paris, on the occasion of the Olympic Games. Photo: AFP The union’s announcement is a problem for President Emmanuel Macron’s government, which expects thousands of civil servants and local council staff to report to work during the Olympic Games between July 26 and August 11, at the height of summer season. In France, 15 million tourists are expected for the Games.
The union said the strike notice between April 15 and September 15 covered civil servants, local authority staff and hospital workers. The notice does not mean that public sector employees will stop working for the full five months. But it authorizes them to strike “at any time during that period.”
No Olympic truce
The union said there would be no “Olympic truce”. This raises the possibility of strikes during the Games, in sectors ranging from waste collection to monuments and public hospitals.
How Macron is determined to turn the Olympic Games into a great showcase for France and also for its presidency, The unions believe he will give in to their demands.
The union hopes that, despite a public sector deficit equal to 5.5% of the national wealth last year, the president will prefer to open his pockets even further. At least, rather than risk seeing rubbish piling up in the streets, the closing of the Louvre museum and other similar embarrassing situations, when the eyes of the world are on France.
The president of the organizing committee of the Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet, in a press conference. Photo: AFP In a statement, the union calls for “salary compensation for the professional limitations generated by the Games” and the hiring of additional public sector staff, on permanent contracts, along with the right to “disconnect”, which means not making calls and emails outside of business hours.
The unions divided
The trade union movement is divided on whether or not to interrupt the Olympic Games. The more moderate French Democratic Confederation of Workers (CFDT) refuses to support the strike and says he doesn’t “want to ruin this moment of celebration.”
The government promises bonuses of between 500 and 1,500 euros for public sector staff who show up for work during the Olympic Games.
The approximately 30,000 national police officers who will participate in the Games will receive bonuses of up to 1,900 euros. They don’t have the right to strike.
But some have warned they may call in sick during the Olympics if they are not paid enough to postpone their summer holidays. Macron hopes paying exceptional bonuses will prevent an epidemic of sick leave.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.