The CGT representatives of the oil sites of TotalEnergies on strike for three weeks, decided, Tuesday evening, the renewal of the movement until Wednesday at midday, in the refineries and depots of the group currently stopped to obtain increases in wages.
“The conflict will continue at least until Wednesday noon, and we will see what will happen next, during the general assemblies” of employees on Wednesday, said Tuesday evening to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Eric Sellini, CGT coordinator at the national level.
In addition, following the day of mobilization and strikes, Tuesday, throughout France, “there will also be meetings of all the organizations of the CGT which will decide if this day calls for others”he added. “Beyond the refiners and the 14,000 employees of TotalEnergies, we also carry the voice of those who suffer from the fact that wages do not keep up with inflation, and who see winter coming with promises of price increases. energy or food”he added. “It is at the national level that this question must be dealt with, because we are in a very special situation”added the manager.
Four out of seven refineries on strike nationwide
The strike action at the call of the CGT in refineries and depots concerned, Tuesday evening, the TotalEnergies refineries of Gonfreville-l’Orcher, (Normandy), Donges (Loire-Atlantique) and La Mède (Bouches-du-Rhône ), and the deposits of Feyzin (Rhône) whose refinery is closed for technical reasons, and Flanders (North), specified Mr. Sellini.
The CGT did not sign the wage agreement concluded last Friday between the management and two majority unions (CFE-CGC and CFDT), providing for a general increase of 5% in wages, accompanied by individual increases and a bonus exceptional amount between 3,000 and 6,000 euros. The CGT demanded a 10% increase to offset the inflation expected this year and take advantage of the exceptional income earned by the oil group in 2021.
Of the total French infrastructure, four out of seven refineries were concerned, for their refining and/or deposition operations. The other three refineries in the country, operated by Esso-ExxonMobil and the PetroIneos group, are operating. Depots not linked to refineries, such as that of Grandpuits being transformed into a biorefinery, were also on strike.
“Significant improvement” in the stations, according to Elisabeth Borne
According to TotalEnergies, the sites affected by the strike have just over 3,400 people on permanent contracts. The company estimates the number of strikers present on these sites at time T at around 90 employees. Employees actually work in shifts and shifts. For the Feyzin site alone, the CGT claims around a hundred strikers, according to its local representative, Pedro Afonso, for whom “determination is intact”.
Unlike Monday, no requisition was made on Tuesday to force the resumption of work in refineries and fuel depots on strike, according to the Ministry of Energy Transition. Prime Minister Elisabet Borne, she reported during the day of a “significant improvement” in service stations, of which less than a quarter – instead of a third previously – are deprived of fuel, due to the strike movement.
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