Police also removed a blockade at a fuel depot in the western port of Brest. French police have dislodged protesters blocking a key fuel depot on the Mediterranean, as gasoline shorta. Protests and blockades have disrupted all eight of the country’s fuel refineries, and at least one-fifth of gas stations around the country have totally or almost run out of fuel. A two-month protest movement against a bill weakening France’s famed worker protections reached a new level this week as fuel industry workers joined in.
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Unions protesting against a planned labor reform are picketing refineries around the country.
Neither seemed particularly bothered by the fuel shortages, although they did say others in their circle were anxious.
The blockades have sparked warnings from oil giant Total, which operates five of the refineries affected, that it will be forced to reconsider its investment plans in France.
Corinne Besson, who lives near Le Havre in northern France, said she had to wait in a queue twice on Wednesday to fill her tank.
About 30 kilometers (18 miles) away on the bank of the Seine River, the ExxonMobil refinery in Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon, was still working normally, according to union activists gathering outside the facility.
“There’s no difference between the (right wing) Republicans and the (left wing) Socialists”, he said. White tankers could still be seen moving across the sprawling complex.
The social unrest has raised concerns for the smooth running of the month-long Euro 2016 football championships hosted by France which start on June 10.
See more photos from the French strikes below.
Other unions back the latest version of the reforms, which have been watered down, but both the CGT and the government have repeatedly said they would not back down – with the government pledging to ensure fuel supplies.
Workers are protesting against President Francois Hollande’s plans to change labor laws to reduce overtime pay and make it easier to fire staff in some cases.
Fouad Rharib and his wife spent hours searching for gas before giving up overnight.
French citizens debated the strikes on social media, some using the hashtag #JeSoutiensLaGreve (I support the strike). “It is not normal that the French people are being held hostage like this”, he said.
Hollande, France’s most unpopular leader in recent memory, has said he will only run for re-election if he hauls the jobless rate down.
The reforms are created to address France’s famously rigid labour market by making it easier to hire and fire workers.
Francis Duseux said there are about three months of reserves that could be used if needed. “Demand is so high that we aren’t managing to keep up”, he said.
Unions have blocked depots and refineries around France to try to bring road traffic to a halt.
“The depot was unblocked without confrontation”, said Willy Dans, a spokesman for the local branch of the SUD union.
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Transport was further hampered Wednesday by a rolling strike on the trains, causing chaos for commuters.
