On Monday, A spontaneous strike by the overwhelmed workers at the Louvre led to the shutting down of the World’s Most- Visited Museum.
The Louvre’s spontaneous strike erupted during a routine internal meeting, as gallery attendants, ticket agents and security personnel refused to take up their posts in protest over unmanageable crowds, chronic understaffing and what one union called “untenable” working conditions, according to the report by AP News.
Thousands of visitors that visited the Louvre Museum in Paris on the day before yesterday, June 16, were stuck in long lines for hours outside the institution when the museum shuttered for part of the day due to an unplanned staff strike. This strike, which involved gallery attendants and reception and security workers, primarily focused on claims of poor working conditions aggravated further by the concerns of overcrowding of the tourists and a staff shortage.
The unexpected strike came after the French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement earlier this year addressing his plans of making the Louvre undergo a major decade-long upgrade that would address a slew of problems including water leaks, deteriorating infrastructure, dangerous temperature swings and worsening crowd congestion that have long plagued the museum.
“We can’t wait six years for help. Our teams are under pressure now. It’s not just about the art — it’s about the people protecting it,” said Sarah Sefian, a front-of-house gallery attendant and visitor services agent. For workers experiencing these problems on ground, the promised future feels distant. Unlike other sites in france like Notre Dame and Centre Pompidou, which are being restored, the Louvre’s upgrade is stuck. President Macron has promised changes by the end of the decade. But, the staff say they can’t wait for another ten years.
“It’s the Mona Lisa moan out here. Thousands of people waiting, no communication, no explanation. I guess even she needs a day off,” The Associated Press quoted 62-year-old American tourist Kevin Ward as saying.
It’s very rare for the Louvre to shut down. It happened during the war, during the pandemic, and in a handful of strikes –including spontaneous walkouts because of overcrowding of tourists in 2019 and safety fears in 2013. But it is very uncommon for it to happen so suddenly, without any warning, and in full view of the crowds.
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