Louvre Signs Union Deal, Ending Months of Strike Threats
The Louvre has signed an agreement with unions after strikes that closed the museum for four days and partially for four more. The deal includes new security hires and pay raises, but renovation oversight remains contested.
A Deal After Months of Disruption
The Louvre has signed an agreement with unions that had threatened strikes for months, according to reports from Le Figaro and AFP. The dispute, which began with strikes in December 2025, was one of the longest of its kind for the museum. A museum representative told AFP that the signature "amounts to a positive step for the Louvre."
The strikes forced the museum to close entirely for a total of four days and partially for another four days. Unions had maintained an official "notice" to continue protests as needed, signaling they could block the museum at any time.
Security Hiring and Pay Terms
As part of the deal, the Louvre pledged to hire 50 new security personnel in 2027, or about 100 new hires in total by 2028, according to Le Quotidien de l'Art and other French reports. The museum will also improve pay for certain categories of workers, including a €50 ($56) monthly raise for security staff.
"The more of us there are carrying out our surveillance duties, the more we will deter criminals from targeting our institution," Christian Galani, a representative of the French union CGT, told AFP.
The agreement addresses staffing and pay, but union representatives say they still lack visibility on the museum's safety and security plan announced in November 2025.
Renovation Oversight Still in Dispute
The museum is raising funds for an over-one-billion-dollar renovation that will include security upgrades, preservation of aging infrastructure, and a new entry and gallery dedicated to the Mona Lisa. However, there is disagreement about the cost and scope of the renovation, and union representatives want a say in how it is handled.
"We will quickly ask for a meeting on the management and prioritization of the construction works," Alexis Fritche, leader of the CFDT-Culture union, told Le Quotidien de l'Art. "We still have very little visibility on the safety and security plan announced in November 2025."
Leadership Change and Its Aftermath
The deal follows a turbulent period for the Louvre. A daytime robbery emptied the museum of over $100 million worth of crown jewels. Following the theft, Louvre president Laurence des Cars stepped down amid staff criticism that she used a top-down management style and ignored concerns about the building's disrepair and lack of personnel, while spending on projects they considered lavish.
The arrival of newly appointed president Christophe Leribault seems to have calmed some of those tensions. The signed agreement marks a formal step toward resolving the labor dispute, though the renovation's management and security plan remain subjects of negotiation.
