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French strikes block most oil refineries, some depots
Source: Agencies |
October 13, 2010, Wednesday
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FRENCH workers protesting against pension reform said they had halted supplies from most of the country's oil refineries today and were also blocking some fuel depots as the risk grew of shortages at petrol pumps.
Refinery workers downed tools on Tuesday as part of nationwide strikes over a government pension reform, adding to strain on France's fuel supply due to a dispute at the Fos-Lavera oil port that has lasted more than two weeks.
Nine out of 12 French refineries went on strike on Tuesday. Workers at some plants voted for a 48-hour stoppage, while others who backed a 24-hour strike were due to vote again on Wednesday on whether to extend their action.
Eight refineries saw fuel supplies blocked on Wednesday, including all of oil major Total's six refineries in France, the CGT trade union said.
Unions said the strike movement also led to the blocking of a small number of local fuel depots, raising the risk of shortages occurring at fuel pumps much more quickly if such actions were repeated at depots across the country.
At Fos-Lavera, a longer-running strike over port and pension reforms entered its 17th day. Workers were due to meet later on Wednesday to discuss the outcome of talks the previous day between unions and management, the CGT said.
French oil lobby UFIP said on Tuesday that petrol stations could start to see shortages in just over a week if the Fos-Lavera strike continued, but assuming refinery disruption would not last.
Production at four of Total's five working refineries would be halted progressively, a decision that was supported in a vote among strikers or made at the request of Total management, a CGT spokesman said today.
Refinery workers downed tools on Tuesday as part of nationwide strikes over a government pension reform, adding to strain on France's fuel supply due to a dispute at the Fos-Lavera oil port that has lasted more than two weeks.
Nine out of 12 French refineries went on strike on Tuesday. Workers at some plants voted for a 48-hour stoppage, while others who backed a 24-hour strike were due to vote again on Wednesday on whether to extend their action.
Eight refineries saw fuel supplies blocked on Wednesday, including all of oil major Total's six refineries in France, the CGT trade union said.
Unions said the strike movement also led to the blocking of a small number of local fuel depots, raising the risk of shortages occurring at fuel pumps much more quickly if such actions were repeated at depots across the country.
At Fos-Lavera, a longer-running strike over port and pension reforms entered its 17th day. Workers were due to meet later on Wednesday to discuss the outcome of talks the previous day between unions and management, the CGT said.
French oil lobby UFIP said on Tuesday that petrol stations could start to see shortages in just over a week if the Fos-Lavera strike continued, but assuming refinery disruption would not last.
Production at four of Total's five working refineries would be halted progressively, a decision that was supported in a vote among strikers or made at the request of Total management, a CGT spokesman said today.
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