Louvre workers announce strike over work conditions and security after $102M heist

Workers at the renowned Louvre Museum in Paris have voted unanimously for strike action starting next Monday, citing deteriorating work conditions, security concerns, and inadequate resources at one of the world’s most famous cultural institutions.

In a letter addressed to France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati, the CGT, CFDT, and Sud unions described the museum as being in “crisis,” claiming that “visiting the Louvre has become a real obstacle course” for millions of visitors. The unions highlighted that insufficient staffing and outdated facilities are negatively impacting both the visitor experience and museum operations.

The strike announcement comes in the wake of a brazen daylight theft in October that exposed significant security vulnerabilities at the prestigious institution. The heist, which saw thieves make off with priceless items from France’s Crown Jewels collection valued at approximately 88 million euros ($102 million), has become a flashpoint for employee concerns about the museum’s security protocols.

According to reports, the robbery was executed with alarming efficiency. The thieves took less than eight minutes to force their way into the museum, using a freight lift to reach one of the building’s windows and angle grinders to cut into jewelry display cases before escaping on motorbikes. The stolen items, which have yet to be recovered, include a diamond-and-emerald necklace gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise, jewels associated with 19th century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara.

In the aftermath of the theft, the museum director acknowledged a “terrible failure” in security measures. This admission has only strengthened staff concerns about inadequate safeguards for the priceless artifacts housed within the former royal palace.

Beyond security issues, the Louvre has experienced a series of infrastructure problems that have raised questions about the maintenance of the historic building. On November 26, a water leak damaged several hundred publications in the museum’s specialized Egyptian antiquities library, including valuable 19th and 20th century documents. The leak was reportedly caused by a valve in a water pipe network scheduled for replacement next year.

Further compounding these problems, the museum recently announced the temporary closure of some employee offices and a public gallery due to weakened floor beams, underscoring the aging infrastructure issues plaguing the institution.

Christian Galani, a CGT union official representing Louvre workers, emphasized the gravity of the situation in an interview with The Associated Press. “We are in a run-down museum which has shown its security weaknesses,” he stated, adding that the planned rolling strikes could force the complete closure of the museum. “We need a change of gear,” Galani insisted.

The unions are demanding that resources be redirected toward building improvements and enhanced protections for the museum’s collections, visitors, and employees. They argue that current funding priorities have resulted in insufficient attention to these critical areas.

The Louvre, which houses masterpieces like Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and attracts millions of visitors annually, has also recently implemented a ticket price increase for non-European visitors, a move that has added to the tensions between management and staff.

This labor dispute highlights the growing challenges faced by major cultural institutions worldwide as they balance public accessibility, security concerns, infrastructure maintenance, and staff welfare. For the Louvre, one of France’s premier tourist attractions and a symbol of the nation’s cultural heritage, resolving these issues promptly will be crucial to maintaining its status and operations in the coming months.