Paris’ largest museums closed their doors today when many of their employees decided to take to the streets in a general protest strike. They protested against a state-enforced measure which stipulates the non-hiring of new employees to replace those who take their retirement.
Only one section of the Louvre remained open today. This is because the museum had already opened its doors by the time the strike got underway. News of the protest spread like wildfire to the other museums throughout the French capital. Elsewhere, the Orsay was closed, Pompidou Centre, Palace of Versailles, Rodin museum, and even the Arc de Triomphe, were all closed as employees rapidly joined the strike.
Many tourists cram their visit to Paris into just a few days of culture-packed activities, mainly due to the city’s infamously high prices. For them, this strike could not have come at a worse time.
The catalyst for the strike was an incident which occurred at the Pompidou Centre, reportedly when one of two employees set to take retirement, was not replaced. At this particular museum, 40% of the employees are over 50.
Most of the museums in France are mainly state-funded, and are allotted a percentage considerably lower than revenues generated by admission fees. French authorities have always strived to keep these fees affordable to allow universal access to the visiting masses every year.