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Rabat – Drivers and ticket inspectors on Paris’s commuter trains staged a one-day strike on Tuesday as they pressured management over bonuses related to the upcoming 2024 summer Olympics.
The strike led to major delays and significant traffic congestion, as most Regional Express Networks (RER) and other commuter lines were affected. This has caused widespread disruption and impacted millions of suburban commuters.
Anne-Sophie Collier, a restaurant worker, described the challenging commute: “I left two hours earlier than normal to make sure I was on time,” she told AFP, noting that she endured an uncomfortable journey on an overcrowded train to central Paris.
The strike is part of a broader wave of industrial actions by public sector unions demanding extra pay and support for working during the Olympic Games, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.
This period coincides with France’s traditional summer holiday, intensifying the unions’ demands. Workers across various sectors, including police, air traffic controllers, rubbish collectors, government employees, metro drivers, and firefighters, have all issued pay demands. This has placed significant pressure on the government to avoid disruptions during the high-profile event.
Read also: ‘Olympics Will Be Without Us’: French Police Hold Nationwide Protests for Extra Pay
Even the national mint, responsible for producing Olympic medals, has experienced strikes, though management has assured that medal production is proceeding as planned.
Senior Republican senator Bruno Retailleau criticized the strike and expressed frustration over frequent industrial actions. “It’s intolerable that a few privileged people are able to take France hostage very, very regularly,” Retailleau told Sud Radio.
He emphasized the need to balance the constitutional right to strike with the public’s right to minimum services.
Tuesday’s strike preceded a scheduled roundtable discussion between SNCF train drivers and management regarding Olympic bonuses. The stoppages are seen as a move to exert pressure ahead of the negotiations.
“We thought the talks were dragging on a bit and wanted to provoke something,” Fabien Villedieu of the SUD-Rail union told AFP last Friday.
He added, “we have a heavy workload with 4,500 additional trains in August, so a whole range of our colleagues won’t be able to go on holiday.”
