Workers end strike at TotalEnergies' Donges refinery

Workers at TotalEnergies 219,000 b/d Donges refinery in France have voted to end their industrial action and return to work, easing the pressure on the country's embattled downstream sector. But staff at TotalEnergies' two other French refineries remain on strike for now.

Donges workers belonging to the CGT trade union voted to return to work after a lunchtime meeting today. The union said staff at TotalEnergies' Carling petrochemical site in France had also decided to return to work.

The CGT called its members at TotalEnergies' French sites out on strike at the end of September in a dispute over pay. Workers at Donges did not join the industrial action initially, but decided to down tools on 11 October after the French government said it would requisition workers to open fuel depots.

CGT members at TotalEnergies' 246,900 b/d Gonfreville and 109,3000 b/d Feyzin refineries voted today to stay out on strike, as did members at the firm's Flanders logistics depot and 500,000 t/yr La Mede hydrotreated vegetable oil plant.

Workers at ExxonMobil's two French refineries ended their walkout at the start of the week.

The prolonged industrial action has left many service stations short of fuel and has forced France to increase diesel imports.

By Adam Porter