Gérald Darmanin announced it last year: the mobilization would be “unprecedented” for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games with “30,000 police officers and gendarmes” called upon every day for the events. But 267 days (precisely) from the start of the international event, firefighters and law enforcement denounce “the lack of anticipation” of institutions on the subject.
Police officials still do not know the percentage of attendance required. “It’s not as if we had decided yesterday on the holding of the games,” say the union organizations. But one thing is certain: there will not be a vacation for everyone. This is also what the firefighters have just learned, through memos. The twenty-one days of leave to which they are usually entitled will be “refused, canceled or modified” next summer. And in exchange? “Absolutely no compensation is planned for the moment,” lament the unions.
“We also need rest”
For the police and firefighters, who recognize the importance of the Olympics, this is the way of doing things that does not work. “This is a major event for our country and we must be present. We have always responded, in times of crisis as well as celebration, but we no longer want to continue to do so at any cost,” exclaims Manuel Coullet, national secretary of Sud Sdis.
“In recent months, there have been demonstrations against pension reform, those linked to the death of Nahel, then sports competitions,” adds Sébastien Gendraud departmental secretary SGP Police du Rhône. And then, we just went into “emergency attack alert”. There are always events. We are then constantly overmobilized. But we also need rest! We must not believe that this has no impact on the teams. »
In addition to the Olympics, “routine” interventions to manage
Same observation in the barracks. “The needs are enormous,” emphasizes Manuel Coullet. We saw it during the Rugby World Cup. For a match in Saint-Etienne, 300 firefighters were mobilized. During the Olympics, we already know that it is the departments which do not host Olympic events which will provide support in neighboring territories. » Among the police, “Paris will draw on the workforce in the provinces”, affirms Sébastien Gendraud who specifies that entire promotions will be assigned directly to Ile-de-France for the summer.
Manuel Coullet continues: “We must not forget that during this time, there will also be all the current interventions which will continue to take place. And above all, major disasters, such as forest fires, episodes of hail and storms, which have intensified in recent years and are becoming more and more frequent. »
“The drop too many”
In addition to the stress or anxiety generated by this lack of anticipation, the police and firefighters emphasize the family organization problems of this decision. “What will colleagues do with children? What about those who have already made reservations? Everyone finds themselves in great difficulty,” underlines the national deputy of Sud Sdis.
Beyond the principle, the union organizations would like “a gesture of recognition from the administration”. “As work meetings are still in progress, we still have hope that there will be relaxations in the attendance rate,” explains Sébastien Gendraud. But we are trying to negotiate to have our overtime hours tax-exempt and possibly, an “Olympic Games” bonus for our mobilization. Not all colleagues will be able to go on vacation behind. For us, it’s the least we can do because that’s how all the other bodies work. » Without a positive response from the institutions, the union organizations will consider mobilization.
The firefighters have already filed a strike notice for the period from July 26 to August 11. Manuel Coullet, however, says he is “ready to discuss it” and “to make efforts”. “This holiday story is the final straw after years of contempt,” he says. Thus, the strike notice is also part of “the framework of all discussions around pension reform”, he specifies.