Paris police might block airports during Paris 2024 Olympics
Listen to the story (Hong Kong accent)
Police in France are worried about their working conditions during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
The police have demanded childcare during the summer and a €2,000 ($2,174.00) ‘Olympics bonus’. The police say that if their demands are not approved, they will disrupt airports during the event.
Police have already started strikes and protests in Paris and other cities. They are waiting for the French government to approve their demands.
Chafia Boutara, from one of the police unions, says police will block airports. Now, it takes three minutes to check a passport at the airport, but it will take “25 minutes” if they don’t get their demands.
Last week, police officers drove a parade of buses through Paris to bring attention to their demands.
This year’s Olympics will be held from July 26 - August 11 which is during France’s summer holiday season. There will be a lot of pressure on Paris’s workers because of security issues and staff shortages in the police, hospitals and public transportation.
There will be about 30,000 police and soldiers working during the opening ceremony on July 26. The opening ceremony will be outside along the Seine River and about 500,000 will come to watch.
Mickael Vinard, head of one of the police unions, says that the 13 police unions want the Olympics to be a success, but their demands are important.
“We want the people who come to Paris, Lille, Marseille, or Tahiti for the Olympics to be safe” said Vinard.
Vocabulary21 words
- Worry
- to be/feel concerned or nervous; to be troubled; to think a lot about a negative situation; a little scared
- Working conditions
- how safe, comfortable, and well-equipped a workplace is; The way a job is, like how safe it is or how long you work each day
- Demand
- to request very strongly, to require
- Childcare
- The care and supervision of children, usually by someone other than their parents; a person or service to watch children while parents are busy
- Approve
- officially agree; accept; to say “yes”; authorize
- Disrupt
- To disturb or interrupt something so it doesn't go smoothly
- Event
- an activity that is planned for a special purpose and usually involves a lot of people, for example, a meeting, party, trade show, or conference
- Union (trade union)
- an organization that workers join for protection and support
- Block
- to stop or prevent something from happening or moving forward; to prevent/stop someone or something from passing through
- Parade
- a large number of people marching, walking, or riding in vehicles, all moving in the same direction
- Attention
- notice; thought; interest; awareness; focus
- Hold
- to organize; to arrange; to have an event; host
- Pressure
- A feeling of stress or worry because you have too much to do
- Security
- protection/safety of a person, building, organization, or country against threats such as crime or attacks
- Issue
- a subject or problem that people are thinking and/or talking about; matter; topic; problem
- Staff
- The people who work for a company or organization
- Shortage
- limited supply; not enough; too little
- Public transportation
- Buses, trains, and subways that are available for all people to use
- Soldier
- a person who fights for their country; a person who fights in/for a military
- Opening ceremony
- The first event in a big celebration or competition
- Head
- leader, top person, boss
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Police in _____ are worried about their working conditions during the Paris 2024 _____ Olympics.
The police have demanded _____ during the summer and a €2,000 ($2,174.00) ‘Olympics bonus’. The _____ say that if their demands are not approved, they will disrupt _____ during the event.
Police have already started _____ and protests in Paris and other cities. They are waiting for the _____ government to approve their demands.
Chafia Boutara, _____ one of the police unions, says police will block airports. Now, it takes _____ minutes to check a passport at the airport, but it will take “_____ minutes” if they don’t get their demands.
Last _____, police officers drove a parade of buses _____ Paris to bring attention to their demands.
_____ year’s Olympics will be held from July 26 - August _____ which is during France’s summer holiday season. _____ will be a lot of pressure on Paris’s workers because of security issues and staff _____ in the police, hospitals and public transportation.
There will be _____ 30,000 police and soldiers working during the opening ceremony on July _____. The opening ceremony will be outside _____ the Seine River and about 500,000 will come to watch.
Mickael Vinard, _____ of one of the police unions, says that the 13 police unions want the Olympics to be a _____, but their demands are important.
“We want the people who come to _____, Lille, Marseille, or Tahiti for the Olympics to be safe” said Vinard.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the police are asking for an ‘Olympics bonus’?
- How would you feel if you were a police officer working during the Olympics?
- Do you think the police's demands are reasonable? Why or why not?
- If the police disrupt the airports, how do you think it will affect the Olympics?
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