Striking: a way of life in France — what should we expect during the Paris Olympics?

The French word for strike is grève.

It’s a good word to have in your vocab Rolodex because these events can really mess up your plans. In 2022, my cousin had to delay his flight out of Paris because of a strike by airport workers. Who’s going to pay the $150 for him to stay an extra night?

Even when I was studying French in 2022 and 2023, our classes would occasionally be held remotely because of a public transportation strike. It happened frequently enough that it became normal for us students.

Strikes are accepted

Strikes are a part of French culture. Strikes aren’t convenient, but they are accepted as a part of the grind, like stopping by the bakery after work to buy a baguette for dinner or shopping at the outdoor market on Sundays.

In the spring of 2023, there was a huge garbage strike.

That didn’t affect my daily life, but it affected my serenity while walking on the streets of Paris. On my street alone, rue Mouffetard, la poubelle (garbage) would be piled high, and as the weather got warmer, it stank to high heaven. This went on for three weeks. People walked around the piles as though avoiding dog poop on the sidewalk. It’s just a part of life.

As I mentioned, when I was studying in France, there were huge protests for months against President Macron’s pension reform. Sometimes major streets were closed to allow for the cortège to walk from Place d’Italie (not far from where I lived) to the Bastille.

As a recovering journalist, it was exciting for me to watch the coverage on TV in my apartment while hearing protesters and union workers in the distance outside my window.

massive protest/strike over Macron’s pension reform (retraites=retirement)

Historic context

One of the biggest strikes in French history was in May 1968. It started with a protest by students who wanted changes made to the outdated university system and an overhaul of the hierarchical, rigid traditions of French education.

But the harsh police response to the student protests (hundreds arrested, many injured) sparked outrage. That led to labor unions holding solidarity marches, and eventually, they made their own, separate demands – for better pay and working conditions. Millions of workers went on strike.

Students occupied university campuses, factories shut down, and major transport services like airports and trains stopped working. It brought the French economy to its knees. In the end, the government made major concessions to workers. The changes to the education system were less visible and more cultural, though major education reforms were passed. As my French teacher, Pierrette, told our class, strikes, and protests may be inconvenient to our daily life, but those actions have created better conditions for people today.

Let’s get back to the modern day, and the strikes continue:

Even in early 2024, around the time I wrote this piece, French journalists from a few broadcasters went on strike after their governing body decided to consolidate some of their sections. Employees at the meteorological group Météo-France are on strike until April against the increased use of AI software, which they say is taking their jobs.

But the crème de la crème of strike warnings is during the Paris Olympics this summer. Several unions, including those representing public transport and healthcare (hospitals are in a crisis at the moment) are threatening action during the Games. What a genius way to get your demands met!

But if you plan to go to the Olympics in Paris, I’d err on the side of caution: bring good walking shoes. Maybe two pairs.

Vive la France!

What is your experience of French Strikes? Please share in the comments below

Image credits: All images other than stated copyright Jennifer Bragg

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