France orders striking fuel refinery employees back to work
France’s government announced it will order workers at an ExxonMobil fuel depot back to their posts in an attempt to secure petrol supplies following weeks-long strikes that have led to shortages and a rise in social tensions.
The energy ministry said on Wednesday that its requisition of staff at Normandy’s Gravenchon-Port Jerome depot run by oil giant ExxonMobil’s Esso France business “will begin today”.
Shortages lead to snaking queues, rationing
The developments came after nationwide industrial action demanding large pay rises for workers paralysed a number of refineries owned by ExxonMobil and fellow oil giant TotalEnergies, creating supply shortfalls that were further exacerbated by panic-buying.
Government ministers had initially urged a negotiated resolution to the crisis, but more recently threatened direct intervention to get supplies flowing again after long queues formed in front of petrol stations over the past few days.
Rationing has been introduced in some regions, including the Alpes-Maritimes, Var and Vaucluse departments in the south.
France is currently confronting a cost-of-living crisis and soaring inflation. Meanwhile, energy firms have recorded bumper profits, causing widespread anger and leading to calls for the companies to face a windfall tax.
Those demands have been consistently refused by President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist government.
