France: Olympic sites allegedly "more dangerous" than organisers have disclosed for undocumented workers
Summary
Date Reported: 8 May 2024
Location: Senegal
Other
Not Reported ( Construction ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Senegal , Construction , Men , Undocumented migrants )Issues
Occupational Health & Safety , Injuries , Restricted access to medicines , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Denial of leave , Access to Non-Judicial Remedy , Freedom of ExpressionResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
Action taken: Employers did not respond to the NYT.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 8 May 2024
Location: France
Other
Not Reported ( Construction ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Mali , Construction , Men , Undocumented migrants )Issues
Occupational Health & SafetyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
Action taken: Employers did not respond to the NYT.
Source type: News outlet
“France Says It Built the Olympics Safely. Migrant Workers Don’t Count.”
… inspection records and other documents show that Olympics sites have been more dangerous than organizers have let on, with some projects failing to meet basic safety standards. When undocumented immigrants are hurt on the job, workers and officials say, the injuries are often handled off the books, all but guaranteeing that they will not show up in government statistics…
That is because of how the French government defines an Olympic site. Accidents at the Olympic Village count, but not at the Pleyel Tower…
… undocumented immigrants played a larger and riskier role in delivering the Olympics than the Macron administration acknowledges…
… the Olympics arrive after years of changes to French labor laws. Mr. Macron cut funding for inspections and abolished company safety boards…
… France’s official workplace injury figures include, by rule, only legal workers…
Mr. Sarambounou and Mr. Tounkara, who recently gained legal status, are among 10 men who are suing construction companies for exploiting them as undocumented workers on Olympic sites…
The companies have not yet responded in court. None of those who employed workers interviewed by The Times responded to messages seeking comment…