French trade union calls for strikes to be extended across energy sector

Six of France’s seven oil refineries have shut their doors over the past three weeks

A major French trade union has called for the weeks-long strike which has caused shortages and disruption at fuel pumps across the country to be extended across the entire energy sector.

The remarks from the FNME-CGT trade union, which represents workers in the energy and mining industries in France, come a day after oil workers voted to continue the industrial action which has seen six of the country’s seven oil refineries shut their doors over the past three weeks.

According to the union, in addition to ongoing strikes at refineries and petrol storage sites, walkouts were also underway at five of EDF’s nuclear reactors, while an Engie gas storage facility also remained on strike.

On Thursday, the French government said it was prepared to force employees to go back to work at a TotalEnergies storage site, as the CGT union and the company remain in a gridlock over wages.

“If needed we will take measures to unblock available supplies in the Dunkirk depot,” said energy minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher, adding: “But I hope things will still evolve today between the CGT and Total.”

Echoing Ms Pannier-Runacher’s calls to end the walkouts, French finance minister Bruno Le Maire also said this morning that TotalEnergies needed to raise its salaries and reach an agreement with the CGT union.

The company has “come late” in discussing with unions after making large profits, he told RTL radio, adding “this conflict is not the government’s fault”.

Speaking to RMC radio this morning, Ms Pannier-Runacher said the government was still prepared to launch requisitioning proceedings at the TotalEnergies storage site in Dunkirk if the standoff with the CGT union on strike there does not end.

But TotalEnergies said on Thursday morning that conditions had not been fulfilled to open talks with all unions in order to put an end to the refinery strike, and CGT in tandem announced walkouts would continue.

Reports of rationing and long tailbacks forming outside petrol stations continue to dominate French media. Paris and northern France are the worst affected regions.

Workers are requesting 10 per cent pay increases: 7 per cent to cover the cost of living and 3 per cent for “wealth sharing”.