Eiffel Tower Closure Amid Worker Strike

The Eiffel Tower is expected to face closure to visitors on Monday as workers organize a one-day strike, urging Paris City Hall officials to promptly reassess the financial management of the 135-year-old landmark. The workers claim that maintenance costs are being underestimated ahead of the upcoming summer Olympic Games.

Repeat Protest Amid Maintenance Disputes

This protest, scheduled for Monday, marks the second time in a month that workers have brought operations to a halt at the 1,083-foot tall wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars, Paris’ most renowned tourist attraction.

Labor Dispute over Financial Strategy

Labor union officials argue that Paris City Hall, which holds a 99% stake in the Eiffel Tower operator, SETE, is operating on an “unsustainable” business model. They claim that the current approach overestimates ticket sales while underestimating maintenance and repair costs.

Concerns Over Visitor Experience

The union representing 400 Eiffel Tower workers asserts that the city’s maintenance plan adversely affects visitors and imposes a heavier workload on employees.

Strikes Coincide with Olympic Preparations

These labor actions coincide with Paris’ preparations for hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics, scheduled to commence on July 26. Notably, pieces of the Eiffel Tower are set to feature in the medals awarded during the games.

Tourists watch the Eiffel Tower from a distance

 

Budget Discrepancies Fueling Discontent

SETE contends that the tower’s maintenance budget is founded on an estimate of 7.4 million visitors this year, a figure the union argues has never been attained. Instead, union leaders claim that the tower typically welcomes around 6 million visitors annually, averaging about 20,000 per day.

Historical Context of Worker Protests

A similar strike previously shuttered the Eiffel Tower on Dec. 27, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the death of Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer behind the tower’s design and construction.

Appeals for Budget Review

Union officials are calling on the city to reevaluate the maintenance budget for the tower, expressing concerns that the current financial plan could lead to closure during the Olympic Games due to maintenance cost shortfalls.