The Louvre closed its doorways to hundreds of upset guests on Monday resulting from a strike over working situations on the Paris landmark, two months after a serious theft.
Employees assembled exterior the state-run museum’s glass pyramid, blocking the primary entrance and holding up banners.
“Due to a strike, the museum will not be capable of open right this moment,” learn a discover for guests posted exterior, resulting in celebrations from dozens of commerce union members close by.
“We received! We received!” they shouted in celebration.
The strike had broad assist amongst employees, unions claimed, above all from reception and safety employees, but additionally curators, researchers and documentarians within the 2,200-strong workforce.
“We’re offended,” Elise Muller, a safety guard, advised reporters. “We disagree with the best way the Louvre has been managed.”
The strike comes almost two months after an embarrassing daylight heist that noticed crown jewels price €88 million stolen from the museum.
The incident has centered a fierce highlight on the administration of the world’s most-visited museum and its under-fire boss, Laurence des Cars.
It has additionally highlighted discontent amongst employees, with union represenatives saying they’ve been warning for years about employees shortages and disrepair inside the previous royal palace.
Around 400 staff voted unanimously to strike throughout a gathering on Monday, the CGT and CFDT unions mentioned.
A choice on whether or not to proceed the strike will likely be taken on Wednesday – the museum is closed on Tuesdays.Â
Anyone with a ticket booked for Wednesday or later within the week is suggested to test the museum’s web site on the morning of their go to for the newest info. Tickets purchased for days when the museum is closed will likely be refunded.
“I’m very upset, as a result of the Louvre was the primary motive for our go to in Paris, as a result of we needed to see the Mona Lisa,” 37-year-old Minsoo Kim, who had travelled from Seoul together with his spouse for his or her honeymoon, advised AFP.
He was one in every of a whole lot of tourists who turned up hoping to go to the museum, solely to be turned away by employees.
Natalia Brown, a 28-year-old from London, mentioned she understood “why they’re doing it”, however referred to as it “unlucky timing for us”.
Rachel Adams, a 60-year-old American actual property agent, puzzled how an establishment which welcomed 8.7 million guests final 12 months struggled to search out funds for upkeep and staffing.
“I feel that the Louvre makes some huge cash and they need to be dealing with their funds fairly a bit higher,” she advised AFP.
As properly because the theft, two different current incidents have highlighted disrepair contained in the constructing.
A water leak in November broken a whole lot of books and manuscripts within the Egyptian division, whereas administration needed to shut a gallery housing historic Greek ceramics in October as a result of ceiling beams above it danger giving manner.
“The constructing is just not in a very good state,” chief Louvre architect Francois Chatillon admitted to lawmakers final month.
A spontaneous walk-out protest by employees in June led the museum to quickly shut.
It had beforehand been shut throughout strikes and protests in 2023 towards pension reforms enacted by President Emmanuel Macron.
Reception and safety employees complain they’re understaffed for the huge flows of tourists.
The Louvre has change into an emblem of so-called “over-tourism”, with the utmost 30,000 day by day guests dealing with what unions name an “impediment course” of hazards, lengthy queues, and sub-standard bathrooms and catering.
Macron introduced a large renovation for the museum in January, anticipated to price €700 million to €800 million.
Questions proceed to swirl for the reason that break-in over whether or not it was avoidable and why the nationwide treasure gave the impression to be poorly protected.
Two intruders used an extendable ladder to entry a gallery containing the jewels, reducing by means of a glass door with angle grinders in entrance of startled guests earlier than stealing eight priceless gadgets.
