Petrol shortage fears after strike

DRIVERS have started queuing for petrol in parts of France as oil refinery workers extend their strike.

Six refineries owned by Total have been closed since Thursday in protest at plans to close the company's plant in Dunkirk, which employs about 400 staff.

The CGT union is calling on workers at other refineries to take part in solidarity strikes.

Exxonmobil staff have said they will stop working tomorrow.

Total says it has enough stocks to keep petrol stations supplied for between 10 and 20 days.

However a number of stations near the plant in Donges in the Loire-Atlantique have already had to close and there have been reports of panic-buying in Rennes and Toulouse.

The oil giant says jobs are safe and it is due to reach a decision on the Dunkirk plant at the end of March. Unions walked out of negotiations with management last night.