PARIS – Workers at the Louvre Museum in Paris voted for strike action on Monday, citing serious concerns over poor work conditions and major security flaws that were brutally exposed by a massive jewel heist in October.
The robbery, which saw thieves make off with an estimated €88 million ($102 million) worth of France’s Crown Jewels, highlighted a “terrible failure” in museum security, according to the director.
The stolen haul includes historic pieces such as a diamond-and-emerald necklace given by Napoleon.
The unions (CGT, CFDT, and Sud) have sent a strike notice to France’s culture minister, stating the museum is in “crisis” with insufficient resources. They assert that the daylight theft on October 19, 2025, confirmed “shortcomings in priorities that had long been reported.”
The thieves took less than eight minutes to execute the robbery. They used a freight lift, angle grinders to cut into display cases, and motorbikes for their escape. The stolen jewels have not been recovered.
Beyond the security lapse, the workers are protesting a ticket price increase for non-European visitors and deteriorating building conditions.
Recent incidents include a water leak on November 26 that damaged hundreds of 19th and 20th-century documents in the Egyptian antiquities library. Additionally, the museum temporarily closed some offices and one public gallery due to weakened floor beams.
Union official Christian Galani stated that the workers’ strike vote was unanimous, and the planned rolling strikes, set to begin next Monday, risk forcing the museum’s closure. Workers are demanding that resources be focused on improving the building and safeguarding the museum, its collections, and its staff.
