Paris museum staff keep Van Gogh-Millet show shut
10:47 a.m. Nov 15, 1998 Eastern
PARIS, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Staff at Paris's Musee d'Orsay art museum
voted on Sunday to continue their five-day strike against working
conditions at a sold-out exhibition of paintings by Vincent Van Gogh
and his mentor Jean-Francois Millet.

Trade union representatives dismissed management pay proposals as ``a
tip'' or as ``charity'' and said they would keep the exhibition of 85
paintings closed until at least Tuesday.

The unions have complained that long queues to reach the show and
limited space for it led to stress, conflicts and overcrowding at the
elegant Left Bank museum.

``Union representatives want (Culture Minister) Catherine Trautmann
not to let the situation fester too long,'' they said in a statement.
``Five days of strikes amount to a profit loss of three million francs
($535,000).''

Staffers have demanded a bonus of 1,600 francs ($285) for employees
dealing directly with the crush of visitors and 1,000 francs ($178)
for other workers there. They also want three days additional holiday
for all museum employees.

The ``Millet-Van Gogh'' show, opened by President Jacques Chirac in
mid-September and due to run until January, traces the influence
Millet's rural scenes had on Van Gogh's paintings of peasants, wheat
fields, churches and starry night skies.


Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.

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