# TotalEnergies accelerates refinery wage talks as fuel supply shrinks Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-10-10 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: TotalEnergies Offers Early Wage Talks to End French Petrol Meta Description: TotalEnergies proposes to start mandatory wage talks earlier in response to union demands amid strikes at ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies sites. URL: https://financedigest.com/totalenergies-accelerates-refinery-wage-talks-as-fuel-supply-shrinkshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-10-09t155820z1lynxmpei98067rtroptp4france-energy-1736815076542-compressed.jpg) By Tassilo Hummel and Caroline Pailliez PARIS (Reuters) -TotalEnergies on Sunday offered to bring forward wage talks, in response to union demands, as it sought to end a strike that has disrupted supplies to almost a third of French petrol stations and led the government to tap strategic reserves. “Provided the blockades will end and all labour representatives agree, the company proposes to advance to October the start of mandatory annual wage talks,” it said in a statement. The talks were initially scheduled to start in mid-November. [Union representatives earlier told Reuters the strikes](https://www.financedigest.com/ita-airways-averts-strike-after-wage-increase-accord-with-unions.html "ITA Airways averts strike after wage increase accord with unions") staged by the CGT, historically one of France’s more militant unions, would continue. They have [disrupted operations](https://www.financedigest.com/meeting-both-operational-and-customer-demands-how-insurance-can-adapt-in-a-disrupted-world.html "Meeting both operational and customer demands – how insurance can adapt in a disrupted world") at two ExxonMobil sites as well as at two TotalEnergies sites. Over roughly two weeks of industrial action, [France’s domestic fuel](https://www.financedigest.com/belgian-motorists-beat-fuel-inflation-with-cross-border-trips-to-france.html "Belgian motorists beat fuel inflation with cross-border trips to France") output has fallen by more than 60%, straining nerves across the country, as waiting lines grow and supplies have run dry. Almost a third of France’s petrol stations had problems getting deliveries of at least one fuel product on Sunday, up from 21% the day before, the office of the [energy minister](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-norway-eyes-high-gas-output-until-2030-says-energy-minister.html "Exclusive-Norway eyes high gas output until 2030, says energy minister") said. France has released strategic reserves and raised imports, [Energy Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/swedish-energy-minister-need-to-decouple-gas-from-electricity-price.html "Swedish energy minister: need to decouple gas from electricity price") Agnes Pannier-Runacher said in a statement, adding these should mean the supply situation improves on Monday. Speaking to BFM TV, she welcomed TotalEnergie’s offer and said she expected a move from ExxonMobil’s Esso France [unit “so that the French people are not taken hostage by this social](https://www.financedigest.com/united-bulgarian-bank-selects-onespan-to-help-fight-social-engineering-and-mobile-malware-attacks.html "United Bulgarian Bank Selects OneSpan to Help Fight Social Engineering and Mobile Malware Attacks") dispute and can go to work with confidence. Esso France, ExxonMobil’s local unit, said it would hold a new round of wage [talks with unions on Monday “with the aim](https://www.financedigest.com/maserati-aims-at-driving-margins-higher-before-any-spin-off-talk.html "Maserati aims at driving margins higher before any spin-off talk") of enabling the group’s refineries to resume operations as soon as possible. WINDFALL PROFITS Wage talks have been underway for weeks at ExxonMobil, while the CGT at TotalEnergies said it has been trying to get the [management to the negotiation table earlier than formal talks](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-allianz-in-talks-with-banks-for-china-asset-management-venture-sources.html "Exclusive-Allianz in talks with banks for China asset management venture -sources") scheduled next month. [Workers at TotalEnergies are seeking](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-loses-bid-to-throw-out-case-by-uk-drivers-seeking-worker-rights.html "Amazon loses bid to throw out case by UK drivers seeking worker rights") a 10% pay rise starting this year after a surge in energy prices led to huge profits that allowed the company to pay out an estimated eight billion euros ($7.8 billion) in dividends and an additional special dividend to investors. The [company’s CEO](https://www.financedigest.com/in-listening-mode-new-bayer-ceo-keeps-open-mind-on-company-split.html "In listening mode, new Bayer CEO keeps ‘open mind’ on company split") last week said “the time has come to reward” workers, but the company had refused to start negotiations. A CGT representative said the [union would not make any official comment on TotalEnergie’s offer](https://www.financedigest.com/carrefour-management-increases-offer-in-wage-talks-with-unions.html "Carrefour management increases offer in wage talks with unions") before internal discussions and informing workers. The CFDT union, France’s largest, which chose not to call for [strikes despite demanding a similar pay](https://www.financedigest.com/in-inflation-hit-germany-massive-strike-over-pay-to-cripple-transport.html "In inflation-hit Germany, massive strike over pay to cripple transport") rise, said in a statement it was prepared to start wage talks in October. Aurore Berge, the head of the governing Renaissance group in the lower house of parliament, said workers had a legitimate right to seek a [share in exceptional profits](https://www.financedigest.com/ford-posts-lower-profit-issues-downbeat-outlook-shares-drop.html "Ford posts lower profit, issues downbeat outlook; shares drop") that were made with their help, but not to hurt ordinary people. “It is not acceptable that workers stage preemptive walkouts which will hit whom? The French people who have no other choice (but to use their car),” she told BFM TV in an interview on Sunday. ($1 = 1.0266 euros) (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel and Caroline PailliezEditing by David Goodman, Barbara Lewis and Susan Fenton) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---