The globally recognized symbol of the city of love, the Eiffel Tower, has temporarily closed due to an ongoing workers’ strike. Workers clamored for fair wages and improved management practices and conditions in the said strike.
Organized by the CGT union, the strike aims to address issues such as better compensation due to rising ticket sales revenue and enhanced maintenance of the renowned monument.
This left tourists in disappointment when the 330-meter structure was filled with barricades and a sign that apologizes for the closure.
In contrast to many of the visitors’ reactions, American tourist Marisa Solis expressed her sympathy for the cause. She acknowledged the importance of fair wages and proper working conditions for those working in the Eiffel Tower – the lifeline of the Eiffel Tower that makes it what it is today. The sentiment was shared by other onlookers as well, standing outside the monument with full understanding of the strike’s spirit.
Stephane Dieu, a representative of the CGT union, underscored the Eiffel Tower’s growing revenue and how the workers’ salaries should be commensurate with the work they do. She labeled the shortcoming as the prioritization of short-term gains over long-term preservation. The current business model is simply negligent to employee well-being.
Union leaders raised their concerns regarding the City Hall’s alleged overlooking of the cost for planned improvements on the Eiffel Tower in lieu of the Summer Olympics. The city hall owns 99% of the Eiffel Tower’s capital, hence, the insufficient maintenance and increased workload for employees had more leverage to be questioned. All of this poses a threat to the integrity of the monument and the workforce that keeps it running.
The temporary closure of the Eiffel Tower might just be an inconvenience to some, but to the workers, this is their livelihood on the line and their well-being compromised.
