THE FRENCH government has insisted that strikes by refinery workers over pension reforms will not cause the biggest Paris airport to run out of fuel.
A Paris airport operator had raised concern than Roissy-Charles de Gaulle could run low on fuel within days after a pipeline that supplies it stopped flowing because of strikes at northern refineries.
Transport minister Dominique Bussereau said yesterday there was no longer any concern over this happening after service was restored on the pipeline. “There is no concern about Roissy. We can feed it for an unlimited period of time.”
Despite the airport closure being averted, workers at all of France’s refineries remain on strike, and 350 to 400 petrol stations run by oil company Total were suffering supply disruptions.
The shortages could become worse if truckers proceed with plans to block road transport today, while unions hope to increase the pressure on the government with another round of protests tomorrow – the day before the Senate is due to vote on President Nicolas Sarkozy’s pension Bill. The contentious plan envisages raising the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62.
Turnout at nationwide demonstrations on Saturday was lower than at previous rallies, according to the government, which read that as a sign that the union’s campaign was waning.
Organisers said up to three million people had participated.
“I think we’re clearly at a crossroads. What I hope is that reason will prevail, and that this reform can be adopted in the coming days and implemented in the coming weeks,” Minister for Agriculture Bruno Le Maire told Europe 1 radio.
Unions hope that with truckers joining the strike today and students, transport workers and refinery workers having pledged to keep up their protests throughout the week, they can force Mr Sarkozy to retreat.
Unions say they will not give up until the government drops the Bill and invites them to have a say in a pension overhaul.
Charles Foulard, the CGT union co-ordinator for Total, said on Saturday that striking refinery workers would not concede.
“There is toughening of resolve. The truck drivers are going to join us . . .” – (Additional reporting: Reuters)