After the garbage collectors, the refiners could be requisitioned in the event of shutdown of refineries by employees. This was suggested by Rolland Lescure, the Minister of Industry, guest of France Info this Saturday, March 18.
At least two refineries, that of PetroIneos in Lavéra (Bouches-du-Rhône) and the Normandy refinery of TotalEnergies in Gonfreville-l’Orcher (Manche), could be shut down from this weekend and at the latest Monday, according to the CGT. Until now, the strikers had contented themselves with blocking fuel shipments, but the refineries continued to produce.
Asked about a risk of fuel shortage, the minister, guest of France Info, replied: “ We showed in the fall that we knew how to take our responsibilities here again, we will take them “, in reference to the requisitions then taken to unblock oil sites during strikes for wages. He stressed that such measures were “ being deployed » with the Parisian garbage collectors. The minister assured that “ today most gas stations in France and Navarre have gasoline»,
Energy unions galvanized by 49.3
Last Thursday’s appeal to Article 49.3 of the constitution by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to push through the pension reform has galvanized unions in the energy sector. « Employees raised their voices “, reported to AFP Eric Sellini, CGT coordinator at TotalEnergies.
« 49.3 had a catalytic effect on staff. This encourages the staff to continue to demand the withdrawal of this reform. There were more of us at the general assembly this morning. There is renewed vitality “, testifies, with the TribuneVirginie Neumayer, CGT Mines-Energie union representative, from the Tricastin nuclear power plant (Drôme).
« The 49.3 ignited the benches. It is out of the question that this law is applied. Our mobilization continues and even strengthens “, abounds, Ben Frédéric, CGT central union representative of Storengy, a subsidiary of Engie specializing in gas storage.
Without waiting for the next day of national mobilization, scheduled for Thursday, March 23, the unions in the oil, gas and electricity sectors have planned to multiply and strengthen their actions this weekend.