Patrick Branco Ruivo is resigning as director of the Eiffel Tower's operating company. His departure follows an investigation into orders that barred female employees from interacting with a BAPS Hindu delegation on September 5.
Patrick Branco Ruivo’s exit after the September 5 BAPS visit
Patrick Branco Ruivo, who has led the Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel since late 2018, will step down by the end of this year. According to the report, an independent investigation confirmed that Ruivo issued a directive to exclude female staff from contact with a visiting delegation from the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). the investigation concluded that these instructions were unacceptable and represented a significant operational failure.
The fallout from this decision has forced the Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel to confront systemic issues regarding gender equality. The company's chair, Ariel Weil, has since announced the implementation of comprehensive training programs to ensure a more inclusive work environment. These workshops will be provided to security, front-desk staff, and engineers to help them navigate the intersection of religious rituals and employee rights.
The September 7 strike that shuttered the 330-meter landmark
The directive issued by Patrick Branco Ruivo triggered an immediate backlash from labor unions and employees, leading to a strike on September 7. As reported, the protest was a direct response to the "unacceptable" requirement that female colleagues be denied access to the BAPS religious group. This industrial action resulted in the rare closure of the 330-meter tower,preventing thousands of tourists from visiting the site.
The closure of the Eiffel Tower is a high-stakes event given that the landmark attracts approximately 7 million visitors annually. The disruption highlighted the volatility of the workforce when management directives clash with fundamental workplace equality. The strike served as a public catalyst, turning an internal management error into a national debate over how heritage sites treat their staff.
A pattern of unrest following the February 2024 six-day closure
This recent turmoil is part of a larger trend of labor instability at the 137-year-old monument. In February 2024, the Eiffel Tower was forced to shut down for six days due to a strike focused on higher wages and improved maintenance standards . That earlier conflict demonstrated a growing rift between the staff and the leadership of the Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel.
The recurrence of industrial action suggests that the monument's operational sustainability is currently fragile.. While the February protests were rooted in economic demands, the September incident shifted the conflict toward social and ethical standards. This transition indicates that workers are increasingly sensitive to not only their pay but also the dignity and equality of their working conditions.
The contradiction between BAPS's claims and management's orders
A critical point of contention remains the origin of the exclusion order. while Patrick Branco Ruivo's management implemented the ban on female staff,the BAPS organization has explicitly clarified that they never requested for women to be hidden or excluded from the visit. This discrepancy raises the question of whether the directive was a result of a profound misunderstanding of Hindu customs or a unilateral decision made by Ruivo's office.
It remains unclear exactly how the communication breakdown occurred between the BAPS delegation and the tower's leadership. Furthermore, the source does not specify if any other managers were involved in drafting the directive or if Patrick Branco Ruivo acted alone. Until the Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel releases the full details of the independent probe, the exact catalyst for the "unacceptable" order remains a mystery.
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