These are the real reasons why France is running out of gas at its stations, where one in three gas stations is out of service.
France is experiencing delicate moments caused by the general fuel shortage that has affected its gas stations for a month. This generates long queues to refuel and a third of gas stations are closed due to lack of fuel. But what are the real reasons why France is running out of gas at its service stations?
It all goes back to last September 20, when workers at ExxonMobil, one of the country’s main refineries, began a strike that continues to this day. On September 27, just a week later, TotalEnergies employees joined. Together, they supply a third of French petrol stations.
The real reasons why France is running out of gas at its stations
The real reasons why the strikes that have been going on for a month have been called have to do with a 12.6% salary increase that the workers of these companies demand from the managers, according to the CGT union. The result is a strike that has paralyzed five of the eight existing oil refineries in France.
This has also caused 30% of French service stations to be closed due to lack of fuel and only open once the tankers arrive to fill the tanks. The French denounce that these gas stations are only operational for a few hours before closing again when they run out of reserves.
The situation is especially complicated in the north of France, where there are areas where fuel shortages reach 40%.
The workers justify this request for a salary increase to attend to the general rise in prices in the country. Other demonstrations are being added to these mobilizations in different parts of France and Paris to protest the high cost of living, and a general strike called for October 18.
