PARIS: The iconic Eiffel Tower, a renowned tourist destination, remains closed for a second consecutive day due to a strike initiated by staff members protesting the monument’s financial management practices.
According to a union representative, the strike, which began on Monday, revolves around concerns regarding the financial management of the monument by its operator, SETE.
SETE announced on its website that visits to the tower will be disrupted on Tuesday, advising ticket holders to check for updates before their planned visit. E-ticket holders were asked to monitor their emails for further instructions.
This marks the second strike at the Eiffel Tower in two months, with unions criticizing SETE’s business model for allegedly overestimating future visitor numbers while underestimating construction costs.
Despite a significant drop in visitor numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Eiffel Tower typically attracts millions of visitors annually, with nearly seven million visitors recorded in pre-pandemic years.
With Paris set to host the Olympic Games this summer, an increase in visitor numbers is anticipated, further emphasizing the need for resolution amid the ongoing strike.
Unions, including CGT and FO, have called on the city of Paris, the majority owner of the monument, to engage in constructive dialogue to address financial concerns and ensure the monument’s sustainability.
Alexandre Leborgne, a representative for the CGT union, highlighted the city hall’s reluctance to negotiate, indicating that a worker assembly would vote on extending the strike on Tuesday.
The closure of the Eiffel Tower underscores the ongoing labor dispute and its potential impact on one of Paris’s most iconic landmarks.
