France orders some fuel staff back to work to tackle refineries strike

The French government on Wednesday ordered some staff at an Exxon Mobil depot back to work and warned a TotalEnergies' depot could be next, risking a wider conflict with trade unions as it battles to secure petrol supplies following weeks-long strikes.

The government said it was requisitioning some staff at the Gravenchon-Port Jerome depot run by Exxon's Esso France business, where the hardline CGT union remains on strike despite an agreement between management and other unions over pay.

Government spokesman Olivier Veran said the impact of the strike had become "unbearable" for many French people and the requisitions should lead to a "very marked improvement of the situation in the coming days".

At the Dunkirk depot run by TotalEnergies in northern France, where the CGT is also on strike, Veran warned: "If the social dialogue does not start, if the blockade continues, we will go for it (requisitions)."

The CGT has called for support from workers in other sectors and there were signs of that happening after a representative of the FNME union said some staff at EDF's nuclear plants had resumed a strike over wages, delaying maintenance work on at least five reactors, including the Bugey facility.

Refinery and fuel depot stoppages in France are among the longest since the cost-of-living crisis sparked labour unrest across Europe. They have caused long queues at French service stations and rationing in some regions, and sent diesel refining margins to record highs in Europe and the United States.

"In view of a strike by part of the Port-Jerome staff, in Normandy, the government launches the requisition of staff necessary to operate the depot. The requisition is starting today," the energy ministry said of the Esso France action.

The CGT said it would challenge the requisition notifications in court once it had received them.

While the right to strike is enshrined in France's constitution, the government can requisition a minimum number of staff needed to sustain a service in certain circumstances, although the move can be disputed. A government attempt in 2010 to requisition refinery staff was suspended by a judge.

'TACT AND MEASURE'

"We are acting with tact and measure." Veran said, adding requisitions would take place only when there was no dialogue between unions and management.

The strike at TotalEnergies' French refineries resumed across all sites on Wednesday, the CGT said.

TotalEnergies said it would meet CGT representatives to discuss the situation and a possible lifting of blockades. It earlier announced its first talks, for later in the day, with unions not participating in the strikes.

In the nuclear sector, FNME representative Viginie Neumayer told Reuters the union had sent a message of support to striking workers at TotalEnergies and Exxon.

"The threat of requisition which is above all a sign of government feverishness has never demonstrated its effectiveness in getting out of this conflict," Neumayer said.

Sylvain Bersinger, an economist at consultancy Asteres, said the economic impact of the strikes should be minor this quarter.

"Past experience shows that such a loss of activity due to strikes is generally made up for in the following quarter," he added.