France - museums strike

Some museums reopen, unions still on strike alert

Article published on the 2009-12-06 Latest update 2009-12-06 11:18 TU

Strike signs in the windows of the Pompidou centre, 28 November 2009
(Photo: Meg Zimbeck via Flickr)

Some national French museum shut down by strikes this week reopened Sunday, free to the public, as they are the first Sunday of each month. But they remain on alert, with trade unions considering continuing the strikes if plans to cut jobs are not changed.

The Orsay museum was one of the last holdouts, having shut its doors for four days. But the museum of impressionist art opened its doors Sunday, though staff will meet again Tuesday to vote on continuing to strike or not.

The Pompidou centre has been shut down since 23 November, and did not open Sunday.

Personnel at these and other national museums and monuments are protesting future job cuts. As of 2010, half of those retiring from the French civil service will not be replaced.

The Pompidou centre will be particularly affected, as it is one of the oldest institutions. Before the strike, there were plans to lay off 26 people from the museum, but the Ministry of Culture has reduced that number to 18, which trade unions deem still too many.

Saturday the Louvre museum opened two and a half hours late. The Versailles palace opened Saturday after being shut down Thursday and Friday, and was the Notre Dame cathedral towers.