Louvre Closes Again as Union Negotiations Drag On

The Louvre was closed on Monday due to a strike, the fourth day the Paris museum has been closed since mid-December, as employees’ demands for better working conditions and fair pay remain unmet. The shutdown is one of the longest in the history of the world’s most visited museum, a crisis exacerbated by revelations of the Oct. 19 burglary and related systemic security failures.

according to Le Parisien, About 300 employees voted at a general meeting on Monday morning to extend a strike launched on December 15 after repeated negotiations with the Culture Ministry and Louvre management ended in vain.

“What we need is political will to ensure these pay gaps are immediately compensated,” union representative Christian Galani said in a statement. parisianFrench Culture Minister Rachida Dati is calling on her to deliver on her promise after publicly deeming the strikers’ demands “legitimate”.

CFDT union representative Valérie Baud told the publication that Louvre management submitted a “first draft” of proposals on working conditions on Sunday, which staff considered “insufficient.”

According to reports, the Louvre’s approximately 2,200 employees have held meetings every Monday since the protests began to decide whether to completely close the museum or partially open it to visitors. Workers went on strike for three days before Christmas, resulting in several partial plant closures and a delayed opening in early January. Museums briefly reopened on January 5 after a three-hour delay, but some galleries remained closed as workers resumed strike action after a holiday break.

The union representing Louvre staff says staff are overworked and the museum is understaffed and poorly maintained, prompting calls for more hiring, higher wages and more investment in infrastructure. The dispute comes under heightened scrutiny after thieves stole more than $100 million worth of the Crown Jewels during a daylight robbery in October, most of which has yet to be recovered.

Workers also expressed concerns about the museum’s long-term redevelopment plans, which include a proposed stand-alone gallery for Leonardo da Vinci Mona Lisa. Earlier this month, staff went on strike again over the project, which the union said was unrealistic given the museum’s ongoing staffing shortages and maintenance issues.

In mid-January, the Louvre reported a loss of “at least €1 million” due to a two-hour delay in opening the museum.