The unions demand a 10% wage increase, given the exceptional benefits of the oil companies, to restore the loss of purchasing power due to inflation
Strikes at refineries and chaos at petrol stations due to fuel shortages continue in France, with no word on when things will return to normal.
Workers at the ExxonMobil refinery in Fos-sur-Mer (southern France), one of the most important refineries in France, voted on Thursday to suspend the strike, as announced by the CGT union and Esso-ExxonMobil management. , days after management and the two majority unions reached an agreement.
However, the strike continues in six other refineries and fuel depots after unions decided to continue with the protest: the ExxonMobil refinery in Notre-Dame-de-Gravechon (north) and five of TotalEnergie in different parts of the country. TotalEnergies invited the unions to sit down tonight to negotiate.
The strike at the Esso-ExxonMobil refineries began on September 20 and that of TotalEnergies on September 27. The unions are demanding a 10% salary increase to make up for the loss of purchasing power caused by inflation and taking into account the exceptional benefits of the oil companies as a result of the energy crisis Europe is experiencing due to the war in Ukraine.
Fuel shortages have caused chaos at gas stations across the country. Motorists have to queue in long lines to refuel and fights even arise between drivers when one of them tries to break in. According to the local press, fuel theft from vehicles is also taking place.
30.8% of French gas stations were hit by fuel shortages on Wednesday, compared to 31.3% on Tuesday, according to the French Ministry of Ecological Transition. The regions of Centre-Val de Loire (44.7%), Hauts-de-France (42.6%) and Paris environs (41.9%) are the most affected.
The month of October seems complicated for the French, a few days before the start of the two-week fall school holidays. The fuel shortage may add to the chaos in public transport next week.
The trade union CGT has today called for a strike on Tuesday, October 18 at the SNCF (the French Renfe) and the RATP (the Paris public transport company). This strike was to take place two days after the demonstration against expensive living and climate inactivity, called by Nupes, the alliance of left-wing parties.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
