The Eiffel Tower Is Open Once Again

Operator of the Paris landmark reaches agreement with striking workers
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 26, 2024 1:30 AM CST
The Eiffel Tower Is Open Once Again
A union banner reads "Eiffel Tower employees on strike" outside the Eiffel Tower Monday, Feb. 19, 2024 in Paris.   (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

The Eiffel Tower reopened to visitors on Sunday after a six-day closure because of striking employees demanding better maintenance of the historic landmark (which is showing traces of rust) and salary hikes, the AP reports. The operator of the 1,083-foot tower said in a statement it reached an agreement with unions representing the workers after promising to allocate an "ambitious 380 million euro (about $412 million) investment by 2031" for renovation work. This week, it also launched salary negotiations, expected to be finalized next month, after employees on strike demanded an increase proportionate to revenue from ticket sales.

The 135-year-old tower will feature prominently in the July 26-Aug. 11 Paris Games and the following Paralympics. The Olympic and Paralympic medals in Paris are being embedded with pieces from a hexagonal chunk of iron taken from the historic landmark. The Eiffel Tower is typically open 365 days a year.

(More Eiffel Tower stories.)

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