On Monday, the Louvre remained closed after the workers called an impromptu strike over ‘untenable’ working conditions.
During an internal staff meeting, the workers, who included ticket sellers, security, and museum maintenance, decided to announce a spontaneous strike. The root cause of the strike was the overcrowding at the museum and poor working conditions for the employees. The Louvre is perhaps the most well-known museum in the world and saw a footfall of 8.7 million last year. However, a leaked report earlier this year revealed that the museum is suffering from numerous issues – water leaks, overcrowding, and structural defects in the building.
After the report was leaked, French President Emmanuel Macron announced an extensive renovation plan for the Louvre that would be completed by 2031 and cost €700–800 million. Recently, the Louvre was also one of the many places in France that increased the visitor fee for non-European tourists.
However, Sarah Sefian, a member of the union representing the museum’s workers, said that the staff does not have 6 years; they want something done now. The strike was called on Monday because the museum remains closed on Tuesday. Sefian has hinted that workers can return to work before the museum opens on Wednesday. While the Louvre has faced many strikes over the years, impromptu strikes are a rarity – the last two such strikes happened in 2019 and 2013. It is not yet clear what exactly the demands of the workers are beyond a general request for improvement in working conditions.
