Gasoline stations in France are facing issues getting enough supplies to meet demand amid a strike announced by workers of energy giant TotalEnergies.
In the Hauts-de-France region, roughly 30 percent of pumps were affected as they were unable to maintain fuel supplies.
Some gas stations have been asked to ensure priority access for medical transport, nurses, and doctors.
The shutdown of gasoline stations is primarily due to a strike by CGT trade union members at TotalEnergies, a French multinational integrated energy and petroleum company.
The strike has disrupted operations at two storage facilities and two refineries run by the firm. Two refineries run by Exxon Mobil also have been facing similar issues since last month.
Strikes and some unplanned maintenance activities have resulted in more than 60 percent of France’s refining capacity being taken offline.
Labor Strike and Negotiations, Reserves
Trade unions are seeking higher wages as oil workers struggle with inflation. The annual inflation rate in France was 5.6 percent in September, up from just 2.9 percent in January. Since March, inflation has consistently remained over 4 percent.“Today, there are talks between the companies and workers to unblock the situation,” he said. “We’re doing everything to ease the situation in the coming days, notably in the most difficult regions like northern France.”
On Wednesday, the French government announced that it had tapped into its strategic fuel reserve to ensure gas stations running dry receive necessary supplies. According to UFIP, the French association of petroleum industry, shortages at fuel stations are due to logistics, not insufficient supplies.