The crisis in France due to the strike of refinery workers demanding better wages threatens to spread to other sectors

and paralyze the country

.

The unions have called strikes and mobilizations next Tuesday to ask for salary increases.

Yesterday they already asked that the stoppages be extended to the entire energy sector.

Meanwhile,

the blockade in the refineries continues

and the Government has already had to intervene in two of them (there are six on strike) in order to guarantee the supply of fuel to the country's gas stations, which have been out of supply for days and where long queues of citizens form. trying to refuel.

One of the affected companies, TotalEnergies,

met on Thursday with the majority unions

that represent workers at its refineries and agreed to a 7% salary increase and the payment of a bonus.

The agreement, however,

was rejected by the CGT union

, which is the one leading the protests and was not called to the meeting.

He also rejected the one reached by the other two unions at EssonMobil, the other oil company involved in the stoppages.

salaries

CGT asks for a salary increase of 10%,

to compensate for the loss of purchasing power

and also for the company to distribute part of the profits obtained this year, partly due to the war in Ukraine.

The refinery crisis

opens a dangerous front for the government of Emmanuel Macron

, and the spark of social conflict is about to jump if the protests spread to other sectors.

In fact, the CGT and three other unions (Force Ouvrière, Solidaires and FSU) have called protests on Tuesday to demand an increase in wages and pensions and to defend the right to strike.

The railway union that represents the workers of the operator SNCF

had already announced strikes yesterday for next Tuesday.

The unions criticize that the forced mobilization of workers in some fuel depots ordered by the Government is a violation of the right to strike.

This measure, however, is contemplated by law and

allows these facilities to be intervened

, forcing the necessary workers to work to guarantee the supply of fuel.

The Executive has already intervened two fuel tanks, which has allowed the departure of tankers loaded with fuel to the gas stations, protected by the Police.

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