- Title: FRANCE: Strikers stand firm as tankers prepare to break fuel blockade
- Date: 23rd October 2010
- Summary: GRANDPUITS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 22, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POLICE AT ENTRANCE TO GRANDPUITS REFINERY VARIOUS OF PICKET LINE BLOCKING MAIN GATE VARIOUS OF FUEL TANKERS LINED UP VARIOUS OF REFINERY INTERIOR VARIOUS OF TOTAL OIL TANKERS LOADING UP INSIDE REFINERY VARIOUS OF STRIKING WORKER TRYING TO KEEP WARM STRIKERS' FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (French) PASCALE, LOCAL RESIDENT SUPPORTING REFINERY WORKERS, SAYING: "Even if they vote this reform through, we hope to continue with the movement. There was a reform that was voted through -- the CPE (youth employment contract in 2006) -- that was withdrawn and I think we'll go right to the end. And I think today that all the French everywhere -- there is the refinery, Grandpuits, which is a great example for everybody, but there are also the rail workers, France Telecom, there are small entities like us, all the French are sick of it and want something else, another republic different to the one that is currently being installed at the moment, which is not a republic but a dictatorship." STRIKING WORKERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHARLES FOULARD, SENIOR OFFICIAL OF THE CGT UNION, SAYING: "We'll get to the bottom of things. We can't accept this. We're not at war, we're private sector workers, we can't accept that under cover of an article of national defence... Have you seen a military troop aircraft with parachutists on board arrive at the airport? No. Not seen that." STRIKING WORKERS SITTING ON CHAIRS IN FRONT OF ENTRANCE
- Embargoed: 7th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: Domestic Politics,Energy
- Reuters ID: LVA9MDRHVJMAT8UZ55M5M0GMSVIC
- Story Text: Petrol tankers load up at a Paris refinery cleared by riot police earlier, but strikers vow to block shift change and halt supplies leaving.
Striking workers at the main refinery supplying fuel to Paris vowed to block the change of shift at the plant on Friday (October 22) as petrol tankers were filled up in preparation to leave.
Police earlier cleared access to key Grandpuits refinery as unions hardened their stance ahead of a final vote on President Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reform expected later in the day.
But striking workers returned to the picket line, blocking the entrance to the refinery once again.
"We'll get to the bottom of things. We can't accept this. We're not at war, we're private sector workers, we can't accept that under cover of an article of national defence," said senior union official Charles Foulard Meanwhile oil tankers could be seen filling up inside the refinery, preparing to start deliveries to petrol stations across the country again.
Local media reported that three people had been injured while police scuffled with the strikers as they tried to end the the blockade at dawn of Total's Grandpuits oil refinery earlier.
Signalling their determination to keep fighting even after a bill raising the retirement age becomes law, the country's six main unions have called for two more days of action on October 28 and November 6 against the unpopular reform.
The centre-right government resorted to a special guillotine procedure to speed the reform bill's passage through the Senate, with a vote now due on Friday evening as pressure builds on Sarkozy to end the long-running impasse with the unions ahead of half-term holidays beginning this weekend.
The president's popularity ratings are near an all-time low 18 months before a presidential election in which he is widely expected to seek a second term.
In addition to transport disruption, Sarkozy is battling the 11-day-old refinery strikes and fuel depot blockades that Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said have forced the closure of one in five petrol stations across the country. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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