French fuel shortage caused by strike expected to worsen

October 25, 2010 05:02 pm | Updated November 28, 2021 09:37 pm IST - Paris

Striking employees sit next to a fire, as they block the main entrance of a waste incineration plant, in Ivry-sur-Seine, near Paris, on Monday. Photo: AP.

Striking employees sit next to a fire, as they block the main entrance of a waste incineration plant, in Ivry-sur-Seine, near Paris, on Monday. Photo: AP.

Fuel shortages at petrol stations in France due to an ongoing nationwide strike over President Nicolas Sarkozy’s pension reform plan were expected to worsen on Monday.

Workers at French refineries have been on strike since October 12.

On Sunday, low levels of petrol and diesel were delivered, trade unions said. According to the government, one in four petrol stations were without fuel over the weekend, while refineries and fuel depots countrywide were being affected by the strike.

Petrol stations along highways, to which supplies were delivered at the start of the autumn break, were marginally affected.

Trade unions want the strike to continue unabated this week. The Senate on Friday approved the controversial pensions bill, which raises the retirement age from 60 to 62. Lawmakers are expected to adopt the bill by mid—week.

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