France faces widespread disruption as unions call strikes amidst ongoing petrol shortages

France faced nationwide transport strikes and general disruption on Tuesday as the government and unions continued to row over walkouts at oil depots that have sparked fuel shortages. Teachers, students, workers from healthcare services and industry turned out for street demonstrations calling for pay rises to cope with the cost of living.

National day of strike and protest against the high cost of living and demand for wage increases in France, October 18, 2022. © REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Updated 14h GMT

"The government must lead by example to take into account the social emergency," Philippe Martinez, head of the CGT union told the press as he set off at the head of the protest march in Paris on Tuesday afternoon.

He added that this was "just the beginning" because "for the moment, there are not enough answers to our demands".

The CGT is one of several powerful trade unions calling workers to join the general strike, in their biggest challenge to President Emmanuel Macron since he won a second presidential term in May.

Also at the Paris demonstration, Frédéric Souillot, secretary general of 'Force Ouvrière', who warned the government on the future pension reform.

"If the government tries anything on pensions, there will be a mobilisation of all the unions," he said.

A poll by the Elabe group found 39 percent of French people supported Tuesday's action, while 49 percent disapproved of it.

At midday, the Ministry of National Education announced that 6 percent of teachers were participating in the social movement.

En tête de cortège, Philippe Martinez (CGT) estime qu'Emmanuel Macron a fait plus qu'"houspiller" le syndicat. "Le gouvernement doit montrer l'exemple pour prendre en compte l'urgence sociale", explique-t-il. pic.twitter.com/gbqRbeJbCe

— Thibaud Le Meneec (@LeMeneec) October 18, 2022

Fighting 'injustice'

The broad industrial action comes after workers at several refineries and depots operated by TotalEnergies voted to extend their strike in defiance of the government which has started a process of requisition - ordering staff back to their posts.

Union activists say they want to highlight the injustice of the government move.

"Requisition is unacceptable and it is never the right solution," Force Ouvrière's Frédéric Souillot told the French politics TV channel Public Sénat.

Despite the likelihood of raising the political and social stakes, government ministers vowed to plough on with the tactic.

"The time for negotiation is over," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told French broadcaster BFMTV.

The government said it would begin to requisition workers at the Feyzin depot near Lyon in south-eastern France which supplies the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regions with fuel.

“We do it for the French, we don’t do it against the strikers," said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister of Energy Transition.

"The requisitions are absolutely necessary so that people can continue to go to work and provide for their basic needs."

Citizens fed up

Similar methods were used last week at the Mardyck depot in the north of the country.

Fuel workers, who are members of the CGT union, voted to continue stoppages at several refineries run by TotalEnergies despite other unions and the firm's management agreeing a deal.

The different stances between the unions have affected three out of seven of the country's oil refineries. Five major fuel depots have also been hit, the government said on Monday night.

Last Wednesday, Macron said he expected a resolution to the disputes within a week. On Monday he reiterated his desire for the sparring to end.

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"I stand with our fellow citizens who are struggling and who are fed up with this situation," he added.

During Tuesday's action, France's rail operator SNCF said there would be severe disruptions with half of train services cancelled.

Transport disrupted

RATP, which runs bus, rail, tram and metro services in Paris and its immediate suburbs, said there would also be fewer services although travel within the capital should be unaffected.

Martinez told RTL radio that it would be "the workers who decide" whether the strike at SCNF continues into the busy late October school holiday period.

"Rail workers are determined to obtain real pay rises," Laurent Brun, head of the CGT's rail workers union, wrote on Twitter.

Unions in other industries such as food and healthcare as well as the public sector have also announced action to protest against the twin impact of soaring energy prices and overall inflation on the cost of living.

On Sunday, an estimated 30,000 people rallied through the streets of Paris to protest in a demonstration called by the left-wing political opposition and led by Jean-Luc Melenchon, the head of the France Unbowed (LFI) party.