Unions threaten petrol supplies

THE RISK of a petrol shortage in France has intensified, as a strike by port workers in Marseille has entered its third week and spread to other parts of France.

The CGT trade union is continuing to blockade four refineries around Marseille and two others in Lyon and Reichstett (Alsace).

Between them, these six plants represent 40 per cent of French production. Petrol stations could start to run dry in the areas around Marseille and Lyon from next week if the strike continues.

Smaller strikes have been reported at Le Havre, Rouen, Nantes/Saint-Nazaire, Donges, Bordeaux and Dunkirk.

There are currently 56 boats waiting off the coast of Marseille and Fos-sur-Mer, unable to unload their cargoes.

Total's plant in La Mède and the Ineos refinery in Lavéra have stopped production completely.

The Marseille strike is being led by the port's crane operators, who are protesting against plans to hive off the running of the oil terminals to a new public-private partnership.

The strike has been condemned by management and a local business group, which took out a full-page advert in Les Echos questioning the strikers' motives for paralysing the port.

The advert shows a picture of a tropical island and describes being a crane operator at Marseille port as "the best job in the world".

It oulines the workers' benefits, which include eight weeks' paid holiday a year, an 18-hour working week, a monthly gross salary of €4,000 and a "guaranteed job for life".

The collective said the strike action was "killing the port" and "threatening the economy of a whole region".

CGT union representative Pascal Galéoté said the figures mentioned in the advert were "a complete lie".

Transport minister Dominique Bussereau said last week that the port reform plans had been passed by parliament and were not up for discussion.

He said in parliament: "If they want to kill the port, they are going the right way about it."