With the Rio Olympics now just 16 months away, Brazil has already been trying to manage perpetual concerns over pollution, specifically of Guanabara Bay, as well as last year having to answer to swimmers’ complaints over their competitions’ late start times. Additionally, Rio organizers have had to regularly maintain the public’s confidence that venues will indeed be ready by the Opening Ceremonies’ start date, amid doubt that construction projects will not be completed in time.
On this same trend, preparations for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games were dealt another blow this week, as workers at the Games’ primary venues’ construction companies have gone on strike. According to the Heavy Construction Industry Workers Trade Union (SitraICP), about 70% of the sector’s estimated 12,000 workers in Rio are taking part in the strike, demanding at 8.5% pay increase. (Europe online)
The strike directly impacts the progress at specific venues Deodoro Olympic Park and the Joao Havelange Olympic Stadium, as well as the construction of Rio’s subway. Work will not come to a complete halt, however, as the judge associated with the case directed that 30% of each construction’s workers remain active during the strike.
It remains to be seen how long the strike will last, and how much of an impact it will have on Rio’s progress as 2016 fast approaches.
Not surpirsed at all ! most big enterprises like that never respect workers who do the hardest jobs ever / live in poor conditions / have medium to no real necessary recovery periods .. and the list goes on and on . It was allready the case in Bejing 2008 Olympics – those aspects are rarely shown to the public . I love swimming and the Olympics but this is discusting . Big money always goes with big failure in terms of human ethics / respect & balance or win-win spirit .
If Rio fails to deliver , i won’t be sad . Hopefully , the athletes will be preserved from any last minute soap opera deluge of failure… Read more »
I am from Bangladesh but I’m studying in Malaysia now. I’m doing my undergraduate degree under majoring International Relationship. However, I would like to ask about volunteers. There are any opportunities for International Students volunteers for RIO 2016. I’m really interested to take part in RIO as volunteer. Best of regards.
Thanking with Mohammad Eisa Ruhullah.
The IOC and more locally based groups, USOC included, are not about the athletes and the sports…theya re about politics and dollars. Sure they have some good people on the ground, but those at the top making decisions see athletes, spectators, and the sports themselves as a necessary evil. It’s a shame.
Well it’s a good thing NBC put the swimming schedule on at midnight so these workers can finish those stadiums on time…
Most Brazilians I’ve talked to didn’t want the World Cup or the Olympics. The Rio organizers and the IOC are getting what they deserve. Hopefully the athletes won’t end up suffering as a result.
I just read something on their World Cup stadiums. This country has put billions of dollars into these projects and treated the workers horribly. What a waste.
Cities that host should have most of the infrastructure in place. This is getting absurd.