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Employees at TotalEnergies service stations in France went on strike in the past week, protesting rising fuel costs and seeking salary increases. The action, led by the CGT union, coincides with a peak travel period during spring holidays. The company stated that only seven stations, or around 4% of its network, were affected. The protest follows recent fuel price spikes linked to geopolitical tensions, even as TotalEnergies had earlier introduced capped pump prices. The development highlights ongoing cost pressures on frontline workers despite broader price-control measures and government discussions on fuel margin caps.
Service station workers employed by TotalEnergies across France initiated strike action in the past week, demanding higher wages to offset rising fuel costs, as the country faces elevated petrol prices linked to recent geopolitical developments. Advertisement
The protest, organised by the CGT trade union, comes amid a period of increased travel during spring holidays in several regions, including areas around Paris. Workers argued that rising fuel prices had made daily commuting increasingly unaffordable, even as they continued to operate within the company's retail network.
TotalEnergies, which owns approximately a quarter of France's service stations, had announced in the previous month that it would cap fuel prices at pumps across mainland France to support consumers after oil prices rose sharply following tensions linked to the Iran conflict. However, union representatives stated that employees had not received comparable support to manage the impact of higher fuel costs.
The CGT indicated that it represents workers across nearly 200 TotalEnergies-operated service stations and has sought relief measures on petrol expenses in addition to salary increases. While the union did not specify the quantum of wage revision sought, it highlighted that workers earning average monthly wages of around 1,600 euros were facing financial strain due to commuting costs.
In response, TotalEnergies stated that the strike had affected only a limited number of sites, identifying seven stations impacted, representing roughly 4% of its network. The company's position suggested that operations across most of its retail outlets remained unaffected.
Union leadership also reiterated broader demands, including calls for the French government to raise the statutory minimum wage, which currently stands at approximately 1,800 euros gross per month. The government, for its part, has indicated that it is examining potential measures to cap fuel distributors margins, though the proposal has faced resistance from industry stakeholders.
Workers participating in the strike highlighted concerns around the viability of continuing employment under current cost conditions, indicating that the rising expense of fuel was directly affecting their ability to travel to work. The protest reflects growing pressure on lower- and middle-income workers amid sustained increases in energy prices across Europe.
Source - Reuters
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