The Eiffel Tower remained closed on Monday because of a staff strike sparked by the handling of a visit by a delegation from a Hindu religious organisation, during which female employees were reportedly removed from certain duties.
According to employees and management, staff were left "shocked" after women working at the landmark were allegedly reassigned or excluded during the delegation's visit on Saturday.
The visit took place on the same day as a cultural event on a boat on the River Seine organised by the Hindu spiritual movement BAPS.
The organisation, which has been criticised by some members of the Indian diaspora as socially conservative and nationalist, inaugurated its first major temple in France on Sunday in Bussy-Saint-Georges, near Paris.
Staff allege women were made "invisible"
In a statement, Eiffel Tower employees denounced what they described as professional instructions that led to female workers being removed, replaced or made "invisible" because of their gender during the visit.
The Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), which operates the monument, acknowledged that the delegation had requested arrangements designed to limit interactions with women.
The company admitted that such conditions should never have been accepted.
Investigation announced
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire condemned the incident, saying demands made by the delegation were unacceptable.
"It is not acceptable for the conditions demanded by the Hindu delegation to be tolerated," he said, announcing that an investigation would be launched as quickly as possible.
A meeting between staff representatives and management took place on Monday while the monument remained closed.
According to a SETE staff representative, the Eiffel Tower is expected to reopen normally on Tuesday morning.
Tower expected to reopen
SETE president Ariel Weil said the operator would examine what happened and determine appropriate next steps.
"We will shed light on what happened and draw the necessary conclusions," he told AFP.
The controversy has triggered debate in France over workplace equality and the extent to which cultural or religious requests should be accommodated at public institutions.
Source: AFP/CNA.
