Why are Eiffel Tower workers on strike?

CGTN Europe

France's iconic Eiffel Tower stands silent today as workers go on strike, leaving visitors disappointed with a 'closed' sign.  The dispute? Financial mismanagement and demands for a better future plan. #EiffelTower #Paris #Strike

Transcript

00:00 The Eiffel Tower is the most visited landmark in all of Paris.

00:04 On average, 20,000 people visit every single day.

00:07 But for the thousands that showed up here on Monday,

00:11 they were greeted by a close sign.

00:13 And that is because the staff of the tower are striking,

00:16 protesting what they claim is financial mismanagement.

00:21 At issue here is a plan by the city of Paris,

00:24 which owns a 99% stake in the tower's operator,

00:28 to increase the annual operating costs from $17 million to $54 million.

00:34 And the unions say that the plan overestimates the number of visitors

00:38 expected at the monument and underestimates how much money it's

00:43 going to cost for construction and repairs ahead of the 2024 Olympics,

00:47 which is expected to bring a lot more visitors to the city and the Eiffel

00:51 Tower.

00:51 But the unions say not enough to meet the targets that underpin this plan.

00:57 This is now the second time in as many months that workers have gone on strike.

01:01 And the last time in December, they warned that the Eiffel Tower may not even be

01:05 open for the Olympics because of a shortfall in the construction budget.

01:10 This is a strike that is lasting one day, but

01:13 there is an option to renew it, which means it could last much longer.

Transcript

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