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La Samaritaine staff to strike over store closure

PARIS, June 13 (AFP) – Unions covering workers at the landmark Paris department store La Samaritaine announced a strike from Tuesday midday through Wednesday to protest plans to close the century-old building for renovations required to bring it up to fire safety standards.  

Earlier the unions had told AFP they had launched an appeal for a strike of unlimited duration.  

The unions hope the “show of force” against the store’s owner, luxury goods group LVMH, would avert a total closure of the building during the eight-to-10 years it is estimated are required to undertake the work, the delegate of the CGT union, Madeleine Charton, said.  

She said the 750 employees – who have been guaranteed their usual wages until they find other jobs – wanted the renovations done in stages, fearing a total shutdown was a pretext to close the store for good and transform the prime location on the Seine river into a more lucrative project.

© AFP

Subject: French News