French workers of TotalEnergies strike for higher wages

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - French workers of TotalEnergies are striking for better wages, local media reported Wednesday.

Trade union General Confederation of Labour said the workers have been on strike since Tuesday, Franceinfo reported.

They are demanding an immediate salary increase of 10% keeping in with the profits generated by the group and recruitment to fill in vacant positions after the management failed to address them in June and July.

The multi-energy French firm has reportedly generated super profits of $5.7 billion in the second quarter.

The group’s management has claimed that it will carry out negotiations with the worker's unions and most French employees have benefited from an average increase of 3.5% this year.

TotalEnergies and its subsidiaries employ around 35,000 people in France. The strike has affected work at multiple refineries and fuel depots.

According to the trade union, the strike is likely to disrupt the supply of fuel to TotalEnergies gas stations.

Moreover, production in refineries could see a drop of 20-30%.

Last week, French lawmakers introduced a referendum bill to tax super profits earned by large companies like TotalEnergies amid economic uncertainty caused by the Ukraine conflict.