French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Tuesday called for an end to the strike at Esso-Exxonmobil's refineries as protests continue despite an agreement reached with management on Monday
PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th October, 2022) French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Tuesday called for an end to the strike at Esso-Exxonmobil's refineries as protests continue despite an agreement reached with management on Monday.
A majority of Esso-Exxonmobil's unions reached an agreement with management on Monday, but the General Confederation of Labour and Force Ouvriere trade unions on Tuesday urged the protesters not to end the strike.
"Social dialogue means moving forward, when a majority has emerged. These aren't lowest common denominator agreements. The management's offers are substantial. Therefore, I have asked the prefects, in accordance with the law, to initiate the procedure for requisitioning the people necessary for the functioning of this company's depots," Borne said at the French National Assembly.
The strike by energy sector employees has been ongoing in France since September 21, when Exxonmobil employees went on strike. They were joined on September 27 by workers of French energy company TotalEnergies. Last Tuesday, trade unions announced a three-day protest demanding a 10% pay increase as well as the indexation of 2022 wages to match the current record-breaking inflation. An indefinite extension of the strike was later announced by the unions.
The strike, in particular, affected France's largest refinery near the city of Le Havre in Normandy, as well as refineries in the communes of Feizin and Donges, the La Mede bio-processing plant in the commune of Chateauneuf-les-Martigues and the Grand-Puy fuel storage. Later, strikes also began at two refineries owned by ExxonMobil.
On Sunday, the French Energy Ministry reported that almost 30% of the country's gas stations had a shortage of at least one type of fuel.
