The social movement at the Louvre Museum resumed on Monday, January 5, after a break during the holidays. Gathered in a general assembly called by a joint union group, the staff decided to continue the strike, forcing the institution to open only a portion of its spaces to the public.
A resumption voted unanimously after the holiday break
The strike began on December 15th before being suspended on December 19th. As announced by the joint union group CGT-CFDT-SUD, staff met again after the summer break to decide on the continuation of the movement, judging that the discussions had not provided sufficient answers. On Monday morning, “approximately 350 people” from various museum departments (registration, conservation, support functions) unanimously voted to resume the strike, Valérie Baud , a CFDT representative, told AFP. For its part, the CGT-Louvre confirmed the continuation of the strike on Instagram, mentioning a mobilization that will continue into 2026.
As an immediate consequence, management announced to AFP a “partial” opening, focused on a “masterpieces tour”. This tour allows access to some must-see pieces, including the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, while the rest of the museum operates at a reduced capacity.
Understaffing, rising prices, and the current situation are at the heart of the conflict.
The strikers are primarily protesting understaffing, particularly in the security of the galleries, and more broadly, what they consider to be deteriorating working conditions. Their protest also targets the price increase for non-European visitors, a measure scheduled to take effect on January 14th. Finally, there is growing concern about the state of the building, which has been thrust back into the spotlight following the theft of eight Crown Jewels on October 19th.
Faced with the protests, the Ministry of Culture made announcements, including the cancellation of a €5,7 million cut in public funding for the Louvre, as well as new hires and salary increases, according to AFP. Unions consider these commitments still insufficient and are therefore maintaining pressure. In this context, the museum is trying to maintain a minimum level of visitor services: the public institution also told AFP that it expects 9 million visitors in 2025, compared to 8,7 million in 2024, a level of attendance that makes the question of staffing levels and organization all the more critical.
