On Monday, the Louvre Museum in Paris was closed due to rotating strikes by employees demanding improved working conditions and emergency renovations. This disruption occurred during one of the busiest times of the year for the Louvre, which is the most visited museum globally.
At the time of the strike, the museum was still recovering from several recent setbacks, including a €88 million (approximately $103.3 million) jewelry theft in October and recent infrastructure issues such as water leaks causing damage to ancient manuscripts.
The Louvre typically welcomes around 30,000 visitors daily. As the museum remains closed on Tuesday, it won’t reopen until Wednesday at the earliest, as employees will decide whether to continue the strike.
Unions had warned of potential strikes last week. At 9 a.m. on Monday, the Louvre did not open during its regular hours, and shortly after, employees voted to confirm the strike. Out of the 2,200 staff members, around 400 supported the strike action.
Management at the Louvre posted on social media platform X, saying, “Due to the strike, the museum is closed today.”
The strike was initiated by unions like the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT), the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), and the Solidaires Unitaires Démocratiques (SUD) due to what they called “deteriorating working conditions” and understaffing.
These unions stated that employees are facing “increasing workloads” and “contradictory instructions,” hindering their ability to fulfill their duties properly.
The unions are demanding the hiring of more permanent staff, especially in security and visitor services departments, along with improvements to working conditions.
Additionally, the unions oppose the 45% increase in ticket prices for non-EU visitors starting in mid-January, which aims to raise funds for renovation projects.
Elise Muller, the national secretary of the Sud Culture union, told Reuters, “We are very aware that visiting the Louvre is sometimes a once-in-a-lifetime trip. So we really don’t want to penalize visitors.”
“In fact, we feel like we are the last ones currently trying to ensure that the public can visit a safe Louvre, something that has been neglected by management for years.”
Despite the strike causing the Louvre’s closure, visitors expressed disappointment. Some tourists who had traveled from afar, despite being aware of the strike threat, arrived at the Louvre on Monday morning only to find the museum closed.
(Reference: Reuters)