France deploys police to prevent fuel depot blockades

PARIS: French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Tuesday he had ordered police deployed at refineries and fuel depots to prevent planned union blockades amid the country’s longest transport strike in decades.

“We are ensuring that there are no supply problems,” he told RTL radio. “I don’t fear any supply problems at all.”

The hardline CGT union has called for a four-day blockade of refineries and fuel depots starting Tuesday, raising the spectre of petrol shortages.

Philippe said that although unions have the right to strike, “the right to blockade is completely illegal, so it is not legal to blockade depots”.

Of the 200-odd oil depots in France, “one or two were blockaded”, he said.

The prime minister said he had called on regional authorities to mobilise police to ensure the facilities remain open.

The threatened siege is part of a transport strike that began Dec 5 over a planned government pension overhaul.

Union leaders have said the reforms could force millions to retire later than they had planned. French officials were to restart talks with unions on Tuesday over the reforms. — AFP