The nationwide strike by French energy workers continues on Monday, leaving many without petrol. Here is an overview of the current situation.
The renewed strike
The sandstone has been going on since last week, after negotiations between the government and TotalEnergies broke down. In particular, the workers are demanding better working conditions.
This has led to a 28.1% shortage of service stations, according to Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Energy Transition. This is an improvement from 30% the day before, but the situation is still far from ideal.
For those who need petrol, it is advisable to anticipate and fill up at the beginning of the week. However, even that might not be enough as the strike shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
Gasoline is scarcer in town
The situation is more difficult in the cities, where the percentage of petrol stations suffering from a shortage reaches 34.5%.
This is because most of the country’s refining capacity is located in urban areas. This means that the impact of the strike is felt more strongly in cities.
Also, many people now work from home, which means they don’t use as much gas. This led to a drop in demand, exacerbating the effects of the strike.
Prices reflect
Diesel fuel is the most strongly affected by the evolution of prices. When the liter traded at 1.80 euro on average on October 7, it is now worth 1.92 euro. In just two weeks, the price of diesel has increased by 22 cents!
This sharp rise in prices is bound to have repercussions for consumers and businesses. For those who have to travel long distances for their work or who depend on their vehicle for their livelihood, these increases can be difficult to absorb. And as winter approaches, many people will be hit even harder.
The government said it was closely monitoring the situation, but has not yet announced its intention to intervene. In the meantime, drivers will have to find solutions to deal with the situation.
No end in sight
The energy workers’ strike shows no signs of ending soon. This is bad news for drivers, who will continue to have difficulty finding gasoline.
