Source: AFP
France’s iconic Eiffel Tower was closed for a fourth day on Thursday as workers extended a strike to manage the monument, unions said.
The walkout at one of the world’s best-known tourist attractions is the second in two months to protest what unions say is insufficient investment.
The tower’s operator, SETE, has advised ticket holders to check its website before showing up or postpone their visit. E-ticket holders are asked to check their e-mails for more information.
Ticket holders will be refunded, the operator said.
Unions have criticized SETE for basing its business model on what they say is an inflated estimate of the number of future visitors, while underestimating repair and maintenance costs.
Union representatives were due to meet SETE management in the afternoon, they told AFP.
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The unions also called on the city of Paris “to be reasonable with their financial demands to ensure the survival of the monument and the company that manages it”.
Their main complaint is that the city hall charges the operator of the Eiffel Tower a lease fee they say is too high, saving money for necessary maintenance work.
The Eiffel Tower closed a deficit of around 120 million euros ($130 million) during the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Its operator has since received a €60 million recapitalization, which unions say is insufficient given major maintenance work is needed, including a new paint job.
The number of visitors to the Eiffel Tower fell sharply during Covid due to closures and travel restrictions, but has recovered to 5.9 million in 2022 and 6.3 million last year.
Source: AFP