The Other Side of the Paris Olympics
Ongoing evidence of undocumented workers blight Paris Olympics
After the excesses of the Qatar World Cup, Paris would like to host an exemplary Olympics in 2024. But this RTS investigation reveals a number of abuses, including subcontractors organising undocumented workers on a massive scale.
"Everyone knows it but no one talks about it," says one undocumented site worker. Another, Gaye, has been in France for 5 years after leaving Mali. "When I worked eight hours, I earned €80. But I also worked 10, 12 hours, always for €80." Some workers rent identities in order to get work. "It's a business. It's someone else's name, a fake name I provided to get this badge to enter the construction site," says migrant worker Cempara. SOLIDEO, the company in charge of the Olympic project argues it is impossible to manage, because big projects involve a myriad of small subcontractors. Tracking down these companies led journalists to empty premises. "When they get caught, they close," explains the secretary general of the CGT Bobigny labour union.
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