Workers, truckers take on Sarkozy
Source: Agencies |
October 19, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FRENCH oil workers defied the government's demand yesterday to get back to work and end fuel shortages, stepping up their fight against President Nicolas Sarkozy's retirement reforms, as youths faced off against riot police and truckers joined the protests.
Airlines, meanwhile, were told to drastically cut back their flights into France today, when the next national street protests are planned, and severe disruptions to air travel, public transport, schools and other facilities are expected.
Strikers have blockaded a dozen French refineries and numerous oil depots in the last week as part of the widespread protests over Sarkozy's plan to raise the retirement age to 62, which the French Senate will debate tomorrow.
Fearful motorists have flocked to gas stations in panic and found many empty, while aviation authorities told short-haul planes coming in from other European destinations to bring enough fuel to get back.
Striking workers piled up tires and set them ablaze yesterday in front of a refinery at Grandpuits, east of Paris, after authorities issued a legal order insisting that some strikers reopen the facility.
Workers said they would refuse, as curls of heavy black smoke wafted into the air.
Other employees and residents formed a "human chain" to prevent the refinery workers from entering the plant, and union leaders said they expected police to intervene.
Dozens of oil tankers remained stuck in the Mediterranean, anchored outside Marseille's two oil ports, where workers have been on strike for more than three weeks to protest a planned port reform as well as the retirement changes.
Truckers joined the fray, staging organized slowdowns yesterday aimed at snarling highway traffic. French TV showed images of cars and trucks on a "Snail Operation", driving at a snail's pace on the main highway between Paris and Lille.
Airlines, meanwhile, were told to drastically cut back their flights into France today, when the next national street protests are planned, and severe disruptions to air travel, public transport, schools and other facilities are expected.
Strikers have blockaded a dozen French refineries and numerous oil depots in the last week as part of the widespread protests over Sarkozy's plan to raise the retirement age to 62, which the French Senate will debate tomorrow.
Fearful motorists have flocked to gas stations in panic and found many empty, while aviation authorities told short-haul planes coming in from other European destinations to bring enough fuel to get back.
Striking workers piled up tires and set them ablaze yesterday in front of a refinery at Grandpuits, east of Paris, after authorities issued a legal order insisting that some strikers reopen the facility.
Workers said they would refuse, as curls of heavy black smoke wafted into the air.
Other employees and residents formed a "human chain" to prevent the refinery workers from entering the plant, and union leaders said they expected police to intervene.
Dozens of oil tankers remained stuck in the Mediterranean, anchored outside Marseille's two oil ports, where workers have been on strike for more than three weeks to protest a planned port reform as well as the retirement changes.
Truckers joined the fray, staging organized slowdowns yesterday aimed at snarling highway traffic. French TV showed images of cars and trucks on a "Snail Operation", driving at a snail's pace on the main highway between Paris and Lille.
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