French government to force striking refinery employees to work

PARIS (AA) - France's Ministry of Ecological Transition announced Wednesday it will force strikers at a refinery in the northern region of Normandy to work as the country faces gas shortages.

The workers at the ExxonMobil refinery in Gravenchon-Port-Jerome among others have been striking for better pay and working conditions.

As a result, a third of French gas stations are struggling with supply bottlenecks.

Long queues are seen outside gas stations that are still supplied with gasoline.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said earlier that the government was considering using force to order staff at the ExxonMobil refinery to work in order to secure energy supplies.

Despite the threat, major labor unions have decided to continue their strike.

The Gravenchon refinery is one of two Esso-ExxonMobil refineries on strike. It is joined by four TotalEnergies Group refineries.

French law allows, in the event of a strike that seriously affects the continuity of the public service or the needs of the population, that certain employees may be forced to work.