Workers at French nuclear power stations are due to down tools amid growing industrial action over controversial labour reforms.
Advertisement
The walkouts at nuclear plants-which provide more than three quarters of power to households and businesses in France-come after the CGT union blocked refineries earlier this week, causing shortages at gas stations across the country.
Twelve of 19 stations said they had reduced output last night, but France’s power supply company, Reseau de Transport d’Electricite, said there was “no danger” of outages.
“That’s an expression of a democracy”, he said.The French government’s labour market proposals, which are created to make it easier for companies to hire and fire, have sparked a series of nationwide protests and strikes over the past three months.
According to the French BFM channel, Valls stopped short of saying whether the proposed labor law would be withdrawn as demanded by protesters.
A major French union has warned Paris that the upcoming Euro 2016 soccer tournament opening could be disrupted unless it backs down on contested labor law reforms.
Up to 40 per cent of filling stations were said to be out of fuel or running very low by Thursday night.
Gerald Le Corre, a government labor inspector who had gone from Rouen to show solidarity with the strikers, said the protests were as much against the political status quo as the labor bill.
Demonstrators disrupted supply lines from oil distribution depots in Normandy by blocking motorways and bridges.
The CGT, the largest and oldest of France’s eight different union federations, now faces an awkward choice.
France has started using its strategic oil reserves for the first time since 2010 to counter union blockades of its refineries, the French oil industry federation said on Wednesday.
Motorists have been panic-buying to avoid shortages.
The warning on Thursday by the hardline CGT union took aim at the 2016 UEFA European Championship (known as Euro 2016), scheduled to begin in France on June 10.
Like millions of other workers, Mr Durand, 58, is furious at new employment reforms that make it easier for bosses to hire and fire.
At the Gravelines nuclear power station, in the north of France, disgruntled employees burned tires in the road and handed out anti-reform law flyers.
Activists were unapologetic about the disruption they planned.
“The nation is angry, and has every right to express itself”, said Jean Durand, a member of the powerful CGT union, which is leading the call forwalkouts across the country. Flights to and from Paris, Nantes and Toulouse have been affected, whilst strike action from train drivers brought further disruption to rail services across the country. He didn’t elaborate on what might be changed, and insisted that the “heart” of the bill should remain.
Meanwhile, train drivers also staged a one-day strike Wednesday.
Advertisement
Earlier in the day thousands of dock workers poured into a public square in the French port city of Le Havre, setting off smoke bombs as part of escalating nationwide protests against the contentious labour Bill that undermines worker protection.
