Strike action to hit Paris airports and trains on May 21
Transport unions in capital demand better Olympic bonuses
The day of strikes on May 21 will affect Paris airports, suburban RER trains and the regional train network
Kiev.Victor / Chandra Ramsurrun / Shutterstock
A major strike by four transport unions will affect air and rail travel around Paris on Tuesday (May 21) as unions pressure the authorities for an improved pay package during the Olympic Games.
A significant number of rail workers from the SNCF and airport workers from the Aéroports de Paris (ADP) are expected to observe the one-day strike. The ADP includes both Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports.
However, the greatest disruption is expected to come on the Paris RER sub urban transport network:
RER A - half of trains running
RER B - half of trains running on the northern half of the line. Two thirds of trains running on the southern half of the line
RER C - two trains in five running at peak times. No trains between Paris Austerlitz and Invalides, between Choisy le Roi and Massy Palaiseau, between Ermont Eaubonne and Pontoise.
RER D - one train in five running at peak times. No trains between Goussainville and Creil, between Melun and Corbeil and between Corbeil and Juvisy via Ris Orangis
RER E - two trains in five running at peak times. No trains between 10:00 and 17:00
The strikes will also disrupt regional train lines. For up-to-date information on the lines affected, consult the SNCF Transilien website here.
Read more: The French strikes that could threaten the Paris Olympics 2024
‘No major disruption’ expected in airports
Many airport workers are also expected to join the one-day strike, however reports suggest that no major disruption is expected for passengers.
“The level of support is by no means negligible, but it will not bring activity to a standstill,” a union member told Le Parisien on May 19.
Unions chose the date of the strike to coincide with the election of a new president for the ADP on May 21.
The four unions (CGT, CFDT, Unsa and FO) are demanding a fixed bonus between July 8 and September 15, when many workers from other regions will be moved to the Paris region to manage the extra workload due to the Olympic games.
The unions say that the bonus should also apply to workers remaining at their posts in other regions who will have to work harder when their colleagues are in Paris.
