Gas and power cuts as workers strike

ABOUT 65,500 homes and a hospital have suffered sporadic cuts in electricity and gas supplies as workers at EDF and GDF go on strike.

A spokesman for ErDF, a subsidiary of EDF that oversees the distribution of electricity, called the outages “isolated acts of vandalism committed by a minority”.

One power cut in the North department struck the Douai Hospital, causing panic as backup generators also failed.

Strikers have denied responsibility for the power outage which lasted 40 minutes.

Other areas affected include Paris, where gas supplies were also cut and around Avranches in the Manche.

According to ErDF and its gas equivalent GrDF, 18% of the groups’ 45,000 workers are on strike.

Staff are demanding a pay rise of 5% and a bonus of €1,500.