Eiffel Tower Closes as Staff Strike Over Removal of Female Workers
The Eiffel Tower was closed after staff went on strike to protest the removal of female employees from their posts during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris was shut down following a strike by its staff, who protested the removal of female employees from their posts during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation, according to union representatives and management.
A delegation of approximately 100 people associated with the Hindu religious organization Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) visited the famous French landmark on Saturday.
Gender Discrimination Protest
Union representative Diane Devoyon stated that upon the delegation's arrival, female staff members were instructed to move away to minimize contact with the religious visitors.
Diane Devoyon told Reuters:
"During the delegation's visit, women were asked to leave their workstations so that men could be positioned there instead."
She added that management has since apologized to the employees for the incident.
According to Devoyon, the decision was deeply offensive to the staff, particularly the female workers who felt humiliated by the treatment. Tensions escalated over the weekend, leading to an assembly where workers decided to initiate a dialogue with management and ensure such treatment of women never occurs again.
Management and Organization Responses
SETE (Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel), the company operating the monument, confirmed that the delegation had requested the visit be organized to limit "interactions with women," as reported by AFP.
SETE stated that the request was "not in line with SETE's values, nor with the principles of equality between men and women." Ariel Weil, the president of SETE, emphasized:
"This is clearly not an acceptable practice. I reiterate the Eiffel Tower's commitment to republican values and equality between men and women."
The BAPS Hindu organization issued an apology regarding the incident, stating they are deeply committed to universal values of mutual respect and take the raised concerns very seriously.
