The Eiffel Tower is closed from Monday February 19 due to a renewable strike, the two union organizations representing the staff announced to AFP, denouncing the financial management of the site, while looming the threat of a strike during the Olympic Games held in Paris.
The CGT and Force Ouvrière (FO) ask the Paris town hall, majority shareholder of the Eiffel Tower Operating Company (Sete), to be "reasonable in terms of its financial requirements in order to ensure the sustainability of the monument and the company that manages it.
Access to the Iron Lady is closed for the day, reception staff confirmed to AFP on site.
The unions, which had already initiated a strike at the end of December, on the day of the 100th anniversary of the death of Gustave Eiffel, denounce an economic model that is "too ambitious and untenable" with an "undervaluation of works budgets", coupled with an "over revenue assessment”.
Read alsoIn view of the Olympics, the Eiffel Tower is getting a makeover and more “golden” effects
According to the CGT and FO, this model “became unsustainable following the Covid period which cut 120 million in ticket revenue from the monument”.
“Worrying deterioration of the monument”
The unions question management about the state of the monument despite the restoration work in progress: "numerous points of corrosion are visible, symptoms of a worrying deterioration of the monument", and this while "the last painting campaign, a guarantee responsible for the conservation of the monument, saw its production costs soar" with "100 million euros invested for a partial painting campaign with only 3% of the monument stripped".
They call for the creation of a “special endowment fund in anticipation of the colossal expenses which will be necessary in the decades to come”.
See alsoGustave Eiffel: the man behind the tower
With AFP
The France 24 summary of the week
invites you to look back at the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 application