Massive strikes were held today in Paris and at various locations across France over stagnating wages in the face of high inflation and lower living standards, according to media reports, as cited by Al-Mayadeen TV English website.
The protests were initiated and organized by the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) and a number of other trade union centers.
Workers from various industries, which include foremost the energy and nuclear sectors, public transport, agri-food, banking, and commerce sectors, as well as education and public healthcare, walked off their jobs today to take part in the protests.
Among the protesters were yellow vests, leftists, youths, and Antifa radical activists.
"We joined the demonstration to demand salary hikes to offset the cost-of-living crisis sparked by the energy crisis and the war. But you shouldn’t blame the war alone because capitalists use it to pocket money," a protester told Sputnik.
Since September 27, employees at the French and US energy groups TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil have been demanding a pay raise of 10% well as the indexing of 2022 wages to match the record-breaking inflation.
Workers have been outraged over the immense wealth amassed by the two refineries after a price surge allowed the companies to commission mindblowing dividends, as well as additional special dividends to investors.
On October 11, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne unapologetically told oil refinery workers that they need to "learn how to stop a strike" and further threatened workers that the government was prepared to use force to order staff at depots run by Exxon's Esso France unit back to work, with similar measures possible at Total depots if wage talks don't lead to a solution.
The CGT union called the government's plans violent and suspended all ongoing negotiations with it.
MNA/PR
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