The Louvre Museum in Paris will stay closed on Monday after staff voted to strike over pay, staffing levels and working conditions, disrupting access for thousands of visitors to the world's most visited museum.
Around 400 employees backed the walkout, according to union representatives, citing what they described as increasingly degraded working conditions and chronic understaffing. Notices posted on the museum's website said it was closed due to public strikes.
The action comes at a difficult time for the Louvre
The action, called by the CFDT, CGT and Sud unions, comes at a difficult time for the Louvre, which is still dealing with the aftermath of the October jewel heist valued at about 88 million euros and recent infrastructure problems, including a water leak that damaged ancient books.
Unions said staff face an ever-growing workload and unclear instructions that make it difficult to carry out their duties. They are calling for the hiring of more permanent staff, particularly in security and visitor services, and for improvements to working conditions.
The unions are also opposing a planned 45% increase in ticket prices for non-EU visitors from mid-January, which the museum says is intended to help fund renovations. The Louvre typically welcomes around 30,000 visitors per day.