The CGT Pétrole calls for a strike against the pension reform in the refineries of TotalEnergie on January 19 and 26 as well as on February 6. It does not rule out “if necessary” the shutdown of the sites. What create a new fuel shortage?
“There is no refinery on strike”. The Minister for Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher wanted to reassure the French as the social movement against pension reform is spreading to the oil sector. If what the Minister says is true, she forgets to recall that several strikes have already been announced by the sector unions, including CGT-Pétrole. Guest of the morning of Franceinfo, January 13, the minister above all to calm the fears of a return to gasoline shortages as was the case in October 2022. “We are not at all in the situation that we experienced last fall”.
If there is no risk regarding access to fuel for the moment when will it be during the mobilizations promised by the unions on January 19 and 26 and February 6? Especially since the communicated FNIC-CGT, representing the chemical industries, warns against the possible renewal of strikes and “if necessary, the shutdown of refining facilities”. It was up to Agnès Pannier-Runacher to respond and assure motorists that stocks had been replenished since the last crisis. She added, however, that the executive was monitoring the situation “with the greatest vigilance”.
Vigilance will be needed because in unity the unions are warning that “oil workers will be present in the fight”. The FNIC-CGT wants to fight the pension reform, deemed “illegitimate” and “unacceptable”. The union has proposed to finance pensions to “solicit profits, in particular from multinationals”. The letter also called on the French to remain critical of future government announcements to “discredit” the movement. The union denounces the working conditions in which the workers evolve: “Oil workers suffer hardship, night shifts, exposure to hazardous materials, with in the end a shortened life; they refuse to work longer to force-feed the shareholders” denounced the syndicate.
Is a gasoline shortage possible again?
For the moment, the union only mentions a stoppage of the refineries “if necessary”. Eric Sellini, CGT coordinator of the TotalEnergies Group, warned that these strikes would lead to “decreases in flow” and “stops in the shipment of fuels” as reported France info. In an attempt to reassure the French concerned, the Minister for Energy Transition warned on the same channel that “stocks exist, they have been replenished since the fall movement”.
The government recalled that the right to strike and the right to demonstrate were constitutional but that it was important “not to penalize the French”, warned the Prime Minister, AFP reported.
When will the strikes take place?
The statement warns that these strikes, if followed, will affect all production sites but also distribution. So far three dates have been set. The mobilization could spread because the strike is “renewable” and although the stoppage of the refineries is not envisaged for the moment, the union warns that it could if the movement gains momentum.
- 24-hour strike, January 19
- 48-hour strike, January 26
- 72-hour strike, February 6
The latest refinery strike, which had immobilized many motorists last fall, had lasted several weeks to demand better working conditions and a wage increase. This new action by the unions could lead to further disruption for motorists. For the moment, these days of strikes are staggered over time and should not have the same impact as in 2022. However, the blocking of refinery sites is a hypothesis considered by the CGT.