<article><p class="lead">Workers at TotalEnergies' 219,000 b/d Donges refinery voted to start a strike from 12 October, according to French union CGT. The move comes after the French government said it would start "requisitioning essential workers" to run ExxonMobil's oil depots in the country and would do the same for TotalEnergies' facilities if wage negotiations fail to progress. </p><p>French prime minister Elisabeth Borne said today she has asked regional prefects to start the process to call back staff at ExxonMobil's oil depots in France. Talks stalled today between ExxonMobil and unions CGT and FO, although late on 10 October a third union, CFDT, signed a deal with the US-based company for its members to return to work. </p><p>"Today some unions, despite the deal, wants to continue the strike action and blockades, we cannot accept that," Borne said. </p><p>The CGT and FO have called strikes at downstream facilities belonging to TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil over the past three weeks. Donges workers decided to join workers on strike at TotalEnergies' 246,900 b/d Gonfreville and 109,300 b/d Feyzin refineries, the Carling petrochemcial site, the Flanders logistics depot and the 500,000 t/yr La Mede hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) plant. </p><p>CGT considers the move to requisition workers is illegal and against their rights, although Borne said French law allowed for this. Earlier today, CGT oil secretary general Emmanuel Lepine said no workers were blockading the depots, and nothing was preventing trucks from entering the sites, but they were on strike so refineries and depots are not operating. He said forcing workers back to oil depots would lead to strikes spreading to other sectors. It is unclear how the order to reopen depots would be enforced. </p><p>Today FO called on its members for new ideas to end the impasse at ExxonMobil refineries. Workers have been on strike at the US firm's 133,000 b/d Fos and 236,000 b/d Port Jerome facilities, plus its Gravenchon petrochemical unit, for 21 days.</p><p>The refinery strikes and depot blockades are having a significant effect on fuel supply in France, with a large number of service stations running out of diesel and gasoline. In response there has been a large rise in imports — around 1.4mn bl of diesel is slated to discharge at the Mediterranean port of Fos-Lavera in the next 24 hours, from India and Saudi Arabia. The strikes forced the French government to release strategic stocks <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2377947">earlier this month</a>.</p><p class="bylines">By Caroline Varin and Adam Porter</p></article>
