Eiffel Tower staff strike after women displaced for religious delegation visit

The Eiffel Tower closed on Monday after employees staged a strike in response to female staff being asked to leave their work positions during a visit by a delegation linked to the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) on Saturday, the company and union representatives said.

Union representative Diane Davoine said women were told to move as the delegation arrived, and that management later apologised to staff. She described employees as humiliated by the treatment of some women and said staff met on Monday to open dialogue with management and to ensure such treatment does not recur.

Operator Société d’Exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE) confirmed the delegation requested the visit be organised to limit interactions with women, according to AFP, and said those conditions should not have been accepted. SETE added the request was not aligned with its values or principles of equality between men and women. SETE president Ariel Weil stated the practice was unacceptable and reiterated the Tower’s commitment to republican values and gender equality.

BAPS opened its first major temple in France on Sunday in a Paris suburb. The Paris BAPS temple said on X that the visit had been arranged with the Eiffel Tower team at the start of normal opening hours to avoid disruption, apologised for any pain or inconvenience, and affirmed belief in mutual respect and service. The BBC and the CGT union were contacted for comment, according to the source text.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The raw reporting indicates a workplace dispute triggered by a delegation’s request to limit interactions with women, an operator apology acknowledging the conditions should not have been accepted, a staff strike that prompted temporary closure, and public statements from local officials and political figures condemning the practice.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• The Eiffel Tower closed on Monday after staff went on strike over women being asked to leave their positions during a Saturday visit.
• SETE confirmed the delegation asked to limit interactions with women and said accepting those conditions was wrong.
• BAPS apologised for any inconvenience and said the visit was arranged with Tower staff at opening hours to avoid disruption.