BWI gathers industry players building Olympics, Grand Paris Express infra

In its effort to set up an international quality label for future mega sporting events, the Building and Woodworkers’ International (BWI) on 22 September successfully gathered key industry players working on the various infrastructure in France related to the 2024 Olympic Games and the Grand Paris Express. 

Some of those who participated in the meeting were the Société du Grand Paris, SOLIDEO, Besix, Vinci, Eiffage and SPIE Batignolles. The groups, together  with BWI’s French affiliates FO-BTP, FNCB-CFDT and FNSCBA-CGT, discussed ways on how trade unions can have access to construction sites to implement a strategy to reduce serious and fatal work-related accidents strongly related to subcontracting. They also deliberated on how to secure the decent working and living conditions of posted workers. 

BWI said that the vast experience it gained from its  previous campaigns on mega sporting events in Russia, Brazil, South Africa and Qatar allowed it to organise constructive exchanges amongst stakeholders and create opportunities for meaningful partnerships with industry players.

Geert Aelbrecht, Human Resources Director of the Belgian group Besix, highlighted the crucial role played by a 2017 international framework agreement (IFA) signed by BWI with World Cup stakeholders that has led to improvements in the working and living conditions of migrant workers in Qatar.

Likewise, the Vinci Group’s Human Resources Director Jocelyne Vassoile and CSR Director Sarah Tesei narrated the real benefits of the partnerships forged by BWI with the International Labour Organization (ILO) through its subsidiary QDVC. The said partnerships resulted in the conduct of numerous training courses and establishment of welfare centres for migrant workers.

BWI expects to conduct another meeting with industry players, trade unions and OHS experts before the end of the year. The global union hopes for regular international visits which will bring together various stakeholders and experts from different European and non-European countries working jointly with multinationals and project owners associated with the 2024 Olympic Games and the Grand Paris Express.