Historic visit to Grand Paris Express construction leads to social charter signing

The Société du Grand Paris (SGP), the Building and Woodworkers’ International (BWI) and its affiliated French trade unions have signed a charter on social commitments related to the Grand Paris Express  (GPE) following a joint international visit to the construction site of the future Gustave-Roussy station in Villejuif, France. This is the first time that an international visit took place at a GPE site. 

The completion of the construction of the Grand Paris Express (GPE) is making great strides towards the opening of the Paris Olympic Games on 26 July 2024. Beyond the 2024 Olympics, the GPE hopes to profoundly transform the Paris region for decades to come.

From the beginning of the projects, SGP and BWI in partnership with its French members, sought to work together constructively in order to reduce the number of accidents caused mainly by labour subcontracting, and find decent solutions for posted workers.

The signatory parties to the charter intend to share their experiences which they hope will have a positive impact in the construction sites, and expand social commitments in the territories.

BWI’s various security experts who comprised the site visit were previously involved in the improvement of labour rights and welfare in the construction sites of mega-sporting events in Qatar, South Africa and Brazil. The said experts hailed from Italy, Belgium, and Spain.

“We are pleased with this partnership with the SGP, which is committed to respecting and enforcing as project owner the full application of safety and security rules on the Grand Paris Express construction sites in accordance with ILO health and safety conventions and to setting up regular international visits. To do this, it is essential that trade unions have access to major construction and infrastructure projects in order to help reduce health and safety problems related to subcontracting and posting of workers,” BWI General Secretary Ambet Yuson said.