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Strike paralyses France's biggest oil refinery
Leave it to the French to shoot themselves in the foot. Idiots. Their railway union is about to go on strike too. Of course, the French are not alone: Belgian unions are threatening to strike because of plans to keep pensions in line and Antwerp prison guards are striking, causing chaos there already. For socialists, they sure don't have much concern for the social impacts of their actions.


GONFREVILLE L'ORCHER, France, Sept 27 (AFP) - A refinery operated by French oil group Total here near the port of Le Havre was at a standstill on Tuesday after a week of strike action.

For a week no petrol (gasoline) or diesel fuel has left the factory and management has said that the strike is costing the business up to two million euros per day.

But it has said that there is no risk of fuel shortages, saying that the market can be supplied by other refineries in Europe.

The strike is led by the left-wing CGT trade union on behalf of 70 workers in the 1,600-strong workforce who control the arrival and departure of products and materials.

Management, unable to ship out refined products, has had to close down all of the installations.

The strikers in the so-called Tmex department are demanding that their pay be increased by EUR 200 euros a month, that their status be revised and that security be strengthened.

Copyright AFP



Posted by: lotp 2005-09-27
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=130668