After the threats, the acts. This Wednesday evening, the government pressed the requisition button in an attempt to unblock the conflict led by the CGT over wages in several refineries and fuel depots of ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies. The prefect of the Normandy region has been authorized to issue an order to requisition several employees so that activity resumes at the ExxonMobil fuel depot in Port-Jérôme (Seine-Maritime) and that the service stations in Île-de-France be refueled in the next few hours. Four employees, two from Wednesday evening and two Thursday morning, will have to come to work otherwise they risk up to six months in prison and a 10,000 euro fine.
At TotalEnergies, the government has not yet carried out its threat. A certain leniency, because this Wednesday evening, all hopes were allowed for a rapid end to the crisis. “From Thursday morning at 8 a.m., we can meet at the Coupole (Editor’s note: name of the Total tower in La Défense in Hauts-de-Seine), to negotiate wages, said Éric Sellini, CGT union coordinator. The management’s latest proposal, a bit baroque, is likely to shake things up”.
According to our information, it was a question of continuing the strike movement in the refineries during the negotiations, while unblocking shipments. Enough to free up thousands of liters of fuel at service stations across the country. “We are going to consult the employees of the 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. shifts to find out what they think. It’s up to them to decide. Right now it’s 50 – 50, ”we explained in the ranks of the strikers. Finally, at 11 p.m., their decision fell: “The proposal of the management of Total was massively rejected by the strikers, indicates the CGT. The strike will continue tomorrow (Editor’s note: this Thursday). We go back to management to ask them to reconsider their position. The strikers demand that negotiations begin without “preconditions”. In other words, without releasing fuel shipments.
More than 30.8% of gas stations were still experiencing shortages
A little before on France 2, Emmanuel Macron, guest of the new program “Event”, had however been optimistic, predicting a return to normal “in the course of the coming week”. “Negotiations have finally started at TotalEnergies,” he rejoiced. I want that in the next few hours, they can find an agreement ”. He had nevertheless warned: “If the social dialogue does not succeed, we will requisition. »
Bad news when Patrick Pouyanné, boss of TotalEnergies, who conditioned a meeting with the CGT to an interruption of the strike movement, had finally agreed to an informal meeting earlier in the day. “The first minutes, everyone emptied their bag, there were a few names of birds but it went well, recognized Éric Sellini. We have built the architecture of what the future negotiation may be, but also the red lines for everyone”.
Video. Fuel shortage: Emmanuel Macron promises a return to normal in the coming week
A hard blow also for motorists. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, more than 30.8% of service stations were still experiencing shortages. A stable figure compared to those of the day before (31.3%) while the government has released strategic stocks for almost a week. In Hauts-de-France 42.6% of stations were still subject to shortages, 41.9% in Île-de-France and up to 44.7% in Centre-Val-de-Loire.
For the time being, six of the seven refineries in France are on strike, four from TotalEnergies and two from Esso-ExxonMobil. Only that of Lavéra (Petroineos group) works. From now on, new requisitions are to be expected. What tend a little more the conflict. Philippe Martinez, the boss of the CGT, announced the filing on Thursday of an interim appeal against the strong way used by the executive.