The Eiffel Tower stayed closed to the public due to a strike that began over contract discussions scheduled on Wednesday, December 27, the same day as the centennial of the death of the structure's founder, Gustave Eiffel.
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most visited attractions in the world and is normally open for business 365 days a year. The iconic structure is anticipated to play a significant part in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
This photograph taken on December 27, 2023, shows a board informing visitors that the site is closed after staff went on strike, at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The strike on the 100th anniversary of the death of engineer Gustave Eiffel, who built the tower, was to protest about "the current way it is managed", the hard-left CGT union said in a statement.
Employees' Concerns
A number of visitors displayed obvious dismay upon seeing a large statement beneath the iron facade of the structure. The sign offers an apology for the inconvenience caused by the closure and announces it in numerous languages. Others continued to take photographs despite the closure.
On Wednesday, visitors were still able to reach the glass-enclosed esplanade that was located underneath the tower. However, they were not permitted to enter the tower, which is 300 meters (984 feet) tall. According to Stephane Dieu, a member of the CGT union, it is scheduled to reopen on Thursday, December 28, as reported by ABC News.
An official spokeswoman for SETE, the firm that operates the tower, said that the strike was launched in advance of contract discussions that are scheduled to take place the following month with the city of Paris.
According to unions, the 400 people who are employed at the tower are concerned about the monument's long-term prospects.
Dieu said in an interview with The Associated Press: "We had COVID. We lost a year of revenue. We have huge debts. The tower is more than 130 years old and is starting to get tired. There's a lot of renovation work that needs to be done in the coming years and decades. The management company needs the means to face this."
He added that the strike was a symbolic action that took place on a significant day, with the purpose of commemorating the anniversary of Eiffel's death and conserving his original work.
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Visitors' Dismay
The Dutch visitor Istvan Harman, who was standing underneath the tower, expressed his pragmatic views over the closure by remarking, "You have to go somewhere else."
On the other hand, it was tragic for other individuals.
"It's the first time we've been to Paris with the children and it was the first activity on the program. And so we were really disappointed to see that the Eiffel Tower was closed today," Emma Fontaine said, a mother who visited the site along with her family.
A representative for the attraction said that during this time of year, the attraction typically receives around 20,000 people on a daily basis.
According to the spokesperson, a special music concert commemorating the passing of Gustave Eiffel on December 27, 1923, was still set to run on social networks and French television on Wednesday night since it had been prerecorded.
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