Paris’ most famous building opened on Monday as workers went on strike alleging mismanagement that could endanger the 135-year-old monument as the city prepares to host the Summer Olympics. Tourists attempting to explore the structure were denied entry to the Eiffel Tower.
Visitors to the wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars on Monday morning were greeted by a “Closed Sign” posted at the base of the structure and on the tower’s website.
“Some people already know [about] That’s what I came to see,” said Marte, a temporary worker stationed at one of the tower’s entrances to greet visitors. “They were disappointed, but there were no bad interactions.”
Union officials said the strike could last several days.
Briana, an American tourist who was visiting Paris and the landmark for the first time, told ABC News that she didn’t know anything about the strike, but was glad to be able to take a photo with her friends at the tower.
Some tourists said they enjoyed that the Eiffel Tower area was basically empty, but others were not satisfied.
“That’s no good,” the father of the visiting Dutch family told ABC News. Therefore, I think tourists should not be involved in their problems. ”
A street vendor packing miniature towers and keychains said he expected to lose about 400 euros, or about $431, if the towers remained closed throughout this week.
Monday’s protest marks the second time in two months that workers have shut down the landmark, which attracts an estimated 20,000 visitors a day.
Union officials say Paris City Hall, which owns 99% of Eiffel Tower operator SETE, is “unsustainable” by overestimating ticket sales for the monument and underestimating maintenance and repair costs. They argue that it depends on the business model.
The union said it was also opposed to an increase in the royalties SETE pays to the city of Paris, calling it “unacceptable.”
“We are not asking for fees to be completely eliminated. We are fully aware that we have to pay royalties to the city of Paris. We have always been in the game.” An official with one of the two unions representing the workers told ABC News.
The union representing 400 employees at the Eiffel Tower claims the city’s current tower maintenance plan disadvantages visitors, increases the burden on employees and puts safety at risk. ing.
Union representatives who spoke to ABC News criticized the city of Paris’s allegedly “DIY” approach to the work needed to ensure the monument functions properly.
“Instead of completely redoing things to refurbish things like elevators, we are trying to do small-scale maintenance for long-term use, but the equipment is aging and obsolete, and in some cases mechanical “We can clearly see that we need to completely replace some systems and equipment,” the union representative said. I’m trying to do that,” he said.
Employees are concerned that layoffs are also on the horizon, union representatives said, saying they were informed of the layoff plans during a meeting with management last week.
“We say stop because we’re worried about our jobs. We shouldn’t be expendable parts. The same goes for construction and investment,” he said.
The labor movement comes as Paris prepares to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, which are scheduled to open on July 26, with medals handed out during the games featuring the Eiffel Tower. Some are used.
SETE claims the tower’s maintenance budget is based on estimates that the monument will attract 7.4 million visitors this year, but the union claims this figure has never been achieved. There is. Union officials say the tower typically receives about 6 million visitors a year.
A similar strike closed down the Eiffel Tower on December 27, the day commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer who designed and built the tower for the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. The strike came as union members were negotiating a new labor contract with the city.
Union officials are asking the city to review the tower’s maintenance budget.
In a statement released in December, the union predicted that the tower could be closed during the Olympics because the city’s current budget does not provide enough funding for its maintenance.