Paris Olympics opening ceremony dancers call off strike after reaching pay deal, union say

Hundreds of dancers set to perform Friday at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony have called off a planned strike over pay disparities after reaching a deal with the event’s organizers, the SFA-CGT union said. Other French public sector workers have also threatened strikes ahead of the Summer Games to demand pay increases.

Hundreds of dancers who were threatening to strike during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Friday have called off their protest after receiving a new pay offer, their union said.

The performers secured a rise in compensation for broadcasting rights during a final round of talks with Paris 2024 organisers on Wednesday, the SFA-CGT union said in a statement.

"This period has concluded with a victory, which although it is not total, is nonetheless a response to the urgent issues raised," it said.

The union, which says it represents around 10 percent of the 3,000 performers involved in the opening ceremony, filed a strike notice last week over what it said were "outrageous disparities" in pay between dancers.

The deal agreed on Wednesday means that the lowest-paid dancers would receive between 160-240 euros ($150-$260) extra for their performance on Friday evening, a union member involved in the negotiations told AFP.

Some of them had protested on Monday during rehearsals by the river Seine by stopping and holding their fists aloft for eight minutes.

The threat was an unwelcome development for organizers and risked deepening France's reputation for labour disputes just as the eyes of the world fall on Paris for the start of the Games.

A whole host of French public sector workers have threatened strikes or stopped work ahead of the Olympics to demand bonuses for working over the July 26-August 11 event, which coincides with the summer holidays.

One-off payments of up to 1,900 euros have been agreed for police and municipal workers in Paris.

The opening ceremony is set to take place over a six-kilometer (four-mile) stretch of the river Seine, with around 6,000-7,000 athletes expected to sail down the river on 85 boats.

It will be the first time a summer Olympics has opened outside of the main athletics stadium.

A small union at Paris airport operator ADP has also filed a strike notice for Friday.

ADP management reached an agreement last week with most labour groups to end a dispute over Olympic bonuses.

(AFP)