Staff go on 'unlimited strike' at Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy
Workers at the popular site are demanding better pay, improved working conditions and more staff
Around 1.5million people visited Mont-Saint-Michel in 2023
Ilya Shimanskiy / Shutterstock
Workers at Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy are on an 鈥榰nlimited strike鈥� for better pay, improved working conditions and more staff to manage the busy summer season.
Staff at the famous landmark announced the strike action with no definitive end date, and began walkouts on Tuesday (December 26).
No guided tours took place at the UNESCO World Heritage site on December 28, however admission to the island was made free for visitors.
Negotiations between ticket staff and the Monuments Historiques group, which manages the site, have been ongoing for months, however talks have reportedly reached a standstill.
More staff, better pay, among demands
鈥淲e are calling for new staff to be taken on: at least four to strengthen the team of guides, as well as one to support site maintenance,鈥� said one worker at the site.
鈥淲e're also asking that the arduous nature of the work be taken into account,鈥� she added.
Unions backing the workers have also demanded for staff to be hired on full-time CDI (Contrat de travail 脿 dur茅e ind茅termin茅e) contracts, rather than temporary contracts.
Around 1.5million people visited Mont-Saint-Michel in 2023, making it one of the most popular sites in France. A third of these visits came during the summer holidays, which can lead to overcrowding.
Earlier this year the site tested a scheme to help prevent overtourism and crowding.
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