“The impression of serenity that reigns on the site is the translation of solid social ambition, in particular, to be an exemplary construction site in a benevolent approach.” Executives had dropped the phrase of the Société de livraison des Ouvrages Olympiques (Solideo), the organization responsible for preparing the developments and delivering the infrastructure for the 2024 Paris Games during a visit organized in mid-February on the huge construction site of the athletes’ village (300,000 m²).
The construction site extends over the cities of Saint-Denis and Saint-Ouen and is supposed to become the epicentre – accommodation and catering for athletes – of the subsequent planetary sporting event in almost two years. While the peak in attendance (around 3,000 workers) is expected to reach this summer, controversy over work accidents (already 7 severe cases in total) broke out a few weeks ago when the AFP revealed the census of a dozen undocumented workers on this construction site of the Olympic village. The first scandal reveals a fraudulent system that L’Équipe reveals in detail.
Undocumented workers in Seine-Saint-Denis staged a series of strikes last fall, mainly at the Sepur firm, which specialised in waste collection and sorting. Twelve of them, all Malian nationals, spoke out about their precarious circumstances on one of the CGT’s regular hotlines in Bobigny. This action sparked controversy in the department and had been heard loud and clear by their colleagues on the Olympic sites. Everything then accelerated between the end of January and the beginning of February. Certain conditions, including the payment of overtime or bonuses, would never have been observed.
The union then conducted its investigation, gathered a certain amount of evidence (contracts, payslips, bank transfers, videos, etc.) and sent a report to the authorities. This is how the labour inspectorate launched a procedure and organized an unannounced visit on March 25 to verify certain allegations. It was around 9:50 a.m., in sector D, that of the property developer Icade. Haroun (the first names have been changed), one of the workers concerned, recounts the following: “I was told there are inspections. We are always warned a little before when there are controllers. Usually, we are told to go to the bar and come back later or not to give our real identity if asked. But I refused to leave this time and explained everything to the inspection lady.”
This small group of undocumented migrants have been living side by side for a few years now in a road construction site in Vélizy-Villacoublay (Yvelines). Previously, all worked in the shadow, paid in cash via envelopes delivered by a third party in a café and dispersed over several sites in the Paris region. And still, according to the investigations, two of these twelve individuals were still working in black during the last checks. The others had obtained payslips after the first protests at the end of 2020. But certain conditions, including the payment of overtime or bonuses, would never have been made, despite their inscription on their contracts, probably undeclared—hence this recent desire to denounce their situation.
“Some were paid in cash and through a family member, cousin, relative…,” said Bernard Thibault, former general secretary of the CGT.
After digging, the CGT trade unionists discovered a “staggering situation” through a “very elaborate assembly”. “Unheard of in almost fifteen years in the business”. In this case, these workers seemed to be directed by a single sponsor but were hired by different companies (about fifteen in total).
Practices too, since the labourers received their salaries by transfer from several companies. “But we don’t know the main subcontractor’s name. It makes you dizzy”, summarizes Jean-Albert Guidou, leading the case at CGT 93. “We did not understand all the logic of this mechanism,” adds Bernard Thibault, former secretary-general of the CGT and who sits now on the board of directors of Solideo. These are intermediary companies which may also be a neighbouring workers, such as a colleague who pays the salary of another. Some were paid in cash, not in their name, but to a family member, cousin, or relative. This was the subject of numerous accounting and administrative manipulations and quite considerable abuses. “We have already reminded project owners and service providers to respect their commitments.”
According to concordant sources, the “client”, the company above this mysterious subcontractor, is GCC, a construction giant. A group that claims to be “independent, long-lasting and committed to a sustainable society” on its site but which has already been singled out for the same reasons in 2009 in Massy (Essonne). Although GCC did not directly employ them this time, the workers in question wore overalls and had badges with the company logo, which L’Équipe observed. “It was GCC that concluded the market and signed a contract with the subcontractor. There was a real lack of vigilance and responsibilities,” says Jean-Albert Guidou.
“To keep their hands clean, big companies call on others to provide them with the workforce,” continues the same trade unionist. The interest is that they have an enormous possibility of pressure and flexibility on undocumented migrants, whose status is highly fragile.” GCC points to its subcontractor, who “lied by presenting false documents.”
In addition to the risk of deportation, being undocumented prevents workers from benefiting from allowances or contributing to retirement. No health insurance or transport aid either. “They exploit us, regrets Ousmane, another worker concerned by this assembly. Some were fired because they asked for a raise.”
The public authorities immediately took this feedback into account, particularly the social charter put in place on the Olympic sites, sites that the State closely monitors. “The authorities have the opportunity to send a message,” believes Guidou. Thibault also hopes “that this example will make it possible to clean up gradually and that people declare themselves to put an end to this anomaly”.
The administrative investigation is still in progress and could be the subject of a rebuke to justice. “It is the subcontractor who is legally responsible, and it is he who will be prosecuted. As for the responsibility of GCC, it is above all moral,” says Thibault. Everything will depend on the final report of the labour inspectorate. Contacted, the Ile-de-France branch of the latter did not respond, as did the Bobigny prosecution.
For its part, GCC wanted to make it known that “as soon as things were proven, the collaboration will be stopped with this subcontractor, who lied to us by presenting false documents… This impacts what we are putting in place elsewhere and the whole structure of trust.”
“We unequivocally condemn these illegal situations,” the Paris 2024 organizing committee also indicated. Aquatic centre of Marville, the future training pool for water polo. Work started in January under the direction of a group of companies led by GCC.
“It’s inhumane.”
Haroun was employed on the construction site of the athletes’ village. He recounts the brutal conditions he faced: “I worked on the Athletes’ Village site for a few months. I took care of the floors. In February, I had an accident when a concrete slab fell on my face. I had a big gash next to my right eye (he illustrates his words with photos. The marks still present several weeks later). When I called for help, a manager took me to an office for a lady to give me first aid. But that’s all. It was 2 p.m. and at 3 p.m. I returned to my office, except I had to stop because of the pain and dizziness. I went home, but they made it clear to me that I had no right to call the E&A. But still went to the hospital the same evening. I had to come back to work the following day when I should have been resting. But I don’t have the money to treat myself either.”
“I felt danger sometimes. For example, I drove nacelles without having a license but learned in the field. We were told to speed up the pace not long ago because we had fallen behind. As a result, we often finished at 8 p.m., instead of 5 p.m., for several weeks, without being paid for these overtime hours. I was told: “No, we can’t pay you. You have no choice. You have to accept.” I have already been prevented from going to the toilet or drinking. It’s abnormal, inhuman. The work there is very hard. I am exhausted because I have spent days lifting 50 to 60 kg props. Some had blackened shoulders. Many accept their situation, but I hope they will have their courage. After our denunciation, a manager called me in the evening to tell me: “You shouldn’t do that. You’re going to sink the boat. We’re all in deep shit.” But no, I wasn’t scared.”
“There is a moral responsibility.”
HRD of the GCC group, client on the Olympic sites, Éric Spielmann responds to the controversy sparked by the recent discovery of undocumented workers at one of its subcontractors.
How did you react when you heard the news?
“We were surprised, disappointed, and shocked. Because, for us, it is an important site. We are proud of the confidence granted to work on this good site. When we learned of this problem, we immediately took the necessary measures. That is to say, the end of the collaboration with this subcontractor, who lied to us by presenting false documents. So we immediately stopped everything because our reputation and the respect for the commitments made were at stake.”
What is your level of responsibility?
The case has made some noise internally. We will see If there are legal consequences. But, beyond that, we want to be exemplary, so there is a moral responsibility. This impacts what we are putting in place elsewhere and the whole structure of trust.
Do you recognize that these workers were linked to your company in an irregular situation?
They were employees of our subcontractor, and we were the order giver, so, of course, this happened under our responsibility. Your group has already been pinned for similar issues in the past. You should know that we carry out 350 projects each year. We try to be as transparent and rigorous as possible. We also train our employees on legislative developments regularly. We have a legal department that checks our employees and external companies. There seems to have been a lack of vigilance. Once again, we do everything we can to verify things. It isn’t very easy for us. We are not police authorities either, and we are not immune to this. What is certain is that we will be even more vigilant.
What current procedure are you taking?
The labour inspectorate wrote to us on March 25 (following its unexpected visit to the site of the athletes’ village), and we replied to it three days later, giving the additional documents requested. There has been no news since. On our side, we followed our internal rules and procedures, but it remains complicated to go much further.
The workers concerned, now regularized, would like to be hired directly by your company. What is your position?
There is no problem recruiting. We have already hired 35 new companions in the first four months of the year, and we are still looking for more. But there has been no official request from them yet. We will consider their candidacy with interest because we have needs. There will be no problem receiving them and potentially hiring them.
Source: Lequipe
