nice – The French government will provide bonuses to civil servants deployed across the capital during the Olympic and Paralympic Games to avoid strikes during this summer's games, the country's Minister of Transformation and Public Administration Stanislas Guerini said on Saturday. It was announced on .
Guerrini said eligible employees will receive bonuses ranging from 500 euros (about 55,000 yen) to 1,500 euros (about $1,641) on top of their salaries for working during the Paris Summer Games and subsequent Paralympic Games. It is said that he will receive the following. Details of payment criteria were not disclosed.
The announcement came after France's main trade unions warned of possible strikes, including at hospitals, during the Paris Olympics, when a large influx of people into the French capital is expected.
The social situation in France remains tense, with teachers, police officers and farmers holding protests in recent days, following large demonstrations last year against raising the retirement age.
Last month, Eiffel Tower workers shut down one of the world's most visited sites for six days, demanding not only higher pay but also better maintenance of the historic building.
The 135-year-old tower will feature prominently at the Summer Olympics. Olympic and Paralympic medals are embedded with fragments of hexagonal iron blocks taken from historic buildings.
The Paris Tourism Board estimates that nearly 16 million people could visit the region between July and September.
Thousands of workers will be affected by long working hours and postponed holidays.
Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT union, called on the government to take action to ensure the social needs of employees are met.
Minister of Reform and Public Administration Guerrini said the government is working on a plan to compensate employees for their work and ensure that children receive proper care.
The minister said the government will set up nursery schools for civil servants working during the Games and allocate 1,000 slots for summer camps to support working parents with children during school holidays. In addition, employees with children will receive a bonus of up to 200 euros per child, while single-parent families will receive a bonus of 350 euros per child.
“The whole country wants to avoid strikes during the Olympics,” Guerini said in an interview with France Infomedia on Saturday. “The Olympics should be a success for the whole country.”
Mr Binet said the union would announce a strike in public services during the Olympic Games, which will be held in July-August. The Paralympics are held from August to September.
___
More from The Associated Press about the Paris Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
