Head of Eiffel Tower operator to step down over treatment of female staff
SETE's director Patrick Branco Ruivo will leave his post by year's end following an incident in which several female employees were barred from their duties during a Hindu delegation's visit. The event triggered a strike and apologies from multiple parties.
The director general of SETE, the company that operates the Eiffel Tower, has announced he will step down by the end of the year. The decision follows an incident in early September in which several female staff members were temporarily removed from their normal duties.
What happened
The incident occurred on September 5, when a delegation from the conservative Hindu movement BAPS visited the tower. An internal investigation launched afterward identified shortcomings in how the visit was planned and organized. SETE acknowledged that, as a result, female employees were excluded from performing their duties while the delegation was present, calling the outcome an unacceptable situation.
According to staff accounts, some women were told to leave their posts and wait in separate rooms, with male colleagues temporarily taking over their roles. Employees were also instructed to stay away from certain areas while the delegation was on site. In response, staff held a one-day strike, forcing the tower to close to visitors. Workers described the measures as contrary to principles of equality, arguing that a symbol of France should set an example in how it treats its employees.
Explanations and apologies
SETE initially said it had agreed to the restrictions at the delegation's request, later admitting it should not have accepted such conditions. Both BAPS and the City of Paris, which oversees management of the tower, apologized for the incident, with the city additionally acknowledging a failure to uphold the republic's principle of equality.
A subsequent inquiry by the Paris city inspectorate clarified that BAPS had actually requested avoiding physical contact between its religious leaders and women, rather than demanding women be excluded from the entire visit. BAPS explained that the delegation included monks, among them its 93-year-old spiritual leader, whose religious vows prohibit physical contact with women.
Branco Ruivo has led SETE since November 2018. He previously served as an adviser to former Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo.
