Motorists on edge, political pressure … TotalEnergies on Sunday offered to bring annual wage negotiations to October, in response to the outstretched hand of CGT, provided the blockages at refineries and fuel depots end, while Esso-ExxonMobil plans to bring unions together on Monday . At 3pm on Sunday, 29.7% of service stations in France were running at least one fuel (compared to 21% on Saturday), the Energy Transition Ministry said.
At TotalEnergies, negotiations from October rather than November will allow “the determination of how employees will benefit, before the end of the year, from the exceptional results achieved by TotalEnergies, taking into account inflation for 2022”. The group that operates nearly a third of its service stations in France.
CGT requires a 10% increase
Since the movement began ten days ago, CGT has demanded a 10% increase in wages – 7% for inflation, 3% for wealth sharing – after the energy giant raked in $10.6 billion in profit in the first half of 2022.
“We will study the proposals closely and meet tomorrow morning with the various sites to decide on the continuation of the movement,” replied AFP Eric Celini, CGT coordinator at TotalEnergies, lamenting that management did not have a direct exchange with the union. The Energy Transition Minister, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, welcomed TotalEnergies’ announcement, saying the conflict must “end”.
Salary Discussions
For its part, the management of the French company Esso-ExxonMobil announced on Sunday evening in a press release its intention to bring together the “four union organizations representing employees” Monday. The group, whose refineries have been closed in France, says it is “convinced (that) the quality of continuous and uninterrupted social dialogue with organizations representing employees will make it possible to quickly end the conflict”.
Salary discussions began at Esso France on September 20. The proposal currently on the table has only been approved by the CFE-CGC. On Sunday, the French branch of the American group called for an end to the strike. Pressure from government officials has increased in recent days on the two groups and the strikers to negotiate.
“I would like to reiterate the very resolute appeal of the Government to the leaders and trade unions of TotalEnergies and Esso: a solution must be found without delay within the framework of social dialogue (…) The French must no longer suffer the consequences of a social movement,” said Ms. Pannier-Runacher.
Refueling in Belgium
Agnès Pannier-Runacher urged “all of our citizens not to stockpile”, as some service stations were stormed with 30%-35% of additional consumption.
As of Sunday, many of them were still dealing with the breakup. “I’m a taxi driver, I haven’t been able to work for two days,” said Thierry, 60, who got impatient after three hours waiting for a delivery at Esso station on the Boulevard de la Villette in Paris. .
At service stations, the situation worsened on Sunday in Hauts-de-France, where 54.8% were in difficulties, and in Ile-de-France, where 44.9% were in trouble. Rupture on at least one fuel.
The government, which has already relied on the country’s strategic reserves and increased fuel imports to deal with the crisis, indicated that tanker trucks were allowed to circulate throughout the weekend.
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