A strike by workers at the Eiffel Tower in Paris kept the iconic monument closed to tourists for the second day in a row Wednesday because of worries over job security, management and employees said.
The employees, who walked off the job at 3:00 pm (1300 GMT) Tuesday, are concerned about the expiration in 2005 of a concession agreement between SNTE, the company which runs the tower, and the city of Paris, which owns the property and the structure.
Workers have asked for a meeting with SNTE president Jean-Bernard Bros, who is also the French capital's deputy mayor in charge of tourism.
"There is no basis for this conflict," Bros said, explaining that he believed the strike started because one employee received a warning over his job.
"The law totally protects the tower's employees," he said.
Bross added that he was willing to meet employees on condition they first resumed work.
The SNTE (Societe Nouvelle d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel) employs 250 people, and another 250 work in the monument's gift shops and restaurants.
Some 15,000 people visit the 324-metre (1,070-foot) tower every day.