France braces for more fuel shortages as union votes to extend strikes
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, is facing the biggest challenge of his second term as long-running oil depot and refinery blockades create fuel shortages, transport workers join the strike for higher wages and the government prepares to force its budget through parliament without a vote, unable to find a compromise with the opposition.
The leftwing CGT union on Tuesday voted to extend stoppages at several oil refineries and depots operated by the French energy giant TotalEnergies, as they demanded an immediate 10% pay rise to counter the cost of living crisis and a share of companies’ profits amid the surge in energy prices heightened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The three-week strike continued to seriously disrupt fuel distribution across the country, particularly in northern and central France and the Paris region – in some areas 50% of petrol stations had run dry. Across the country 28% of petrol stations were out of fuel.
Amid anger at the government ordering certain refinery and oil depot strikers off the picket line and back to work, regional train workers and bus drivers across France joined the movement for a daylong strike over wages on Tuesday. There was disruption to regional train networks and buses, including local trains services to the Paris suburbs. Some school staff also went on strike, as well as nuclear energy workers.
Trade union members marched in towns and cities across France. Philippe Martinez, head of the CGT union, said at the Paris march that the government needed to act on the “emergency” of workers struggling with the cost of living at a time of inflation.
The French government argues that its cap on gas and electricity price increases has cushioned the blow of the cost-of-living crisis in France. French inflation has hit 6.2%, which is the lowest among the 19 countries that use the euro currency, according to the European Union’s statistics agency Eurostat. By comparison, in the UK, inflation is expected to peak at about 11% in October. Read More...
