Motorists in France may once again be faced with shortages at service stations. The CGT union, the largest among workers in the French oil industry, called strikes in January and February. The union opposes actions against the planned pension reform that the government wants to implement.
The CGT is considering, among other things, the closure of the refineries, “if necessary”. The actions also threaten to hamper the transportation of gasoline or diesel, said Eric Sellini, union coordinator at oil group TotalEnergies.
National strike
The actions are scheduled for 19 and 26 January and 6 February. That first date is marked as a day of national strike against the pension reform, organized by the eight largest French unions. In plans recently announced by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, the retirement age will be raised from 62 to 64 from 2030 to tackle staff shortages.
Workers in the French oil industry went on strike for weeks last fall, causing major problems at petrol stations. Many gas station owners have run out of fuel. Dutch travelers were also victims. In October, the ANWB received hundreds of requests for help from stranded motorists in France.
Source: BNR
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