Leading multinational energy company Total SA is resuming operations at five French refineries following a union strike which started on 17 February, slowing production rates and forcing the refineries to shut down two days later.
The strikes happened at Total’s Donges, Feyzin, Gonfreville, Grandpuit and Provence refineries when a 48-hour union strike commenced in support of employees at Total’s Flandres refinery – Total is threatening to close the refinery which has been shut down since September 12, 2009, as a result of market conditions.
On February 19, the refineries started shutting down units which caused a direct impact in the distribution of fuels, then on February 23, the French government demanded that Total continued operating all five refineries at normal rates.
Consequently, Total proposed union representatives met for negotiations in which the company committed not to sell or close these five refineries.
Then, on February 24, workers voted at each refinery in local assemblies and concluded to return to normal production and distribution levels accordingly.
Source: industrialinfo.com
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