Strike on January 31: Mobilization in the energy and port sector has already begun

Setting the stage for the big day January 31: Against the state pension reform, the strike resumed on Thursday at refineries, ports, docks and EDF power plants, which should be the only ones to extend the movement on Friday.

Traffic at refineries will last 48 hours, CGT said, and traffic could end early Thursday at most TotalEnergies facilities. Goal: save for a nationwide strike on Tuesday, January 31st. At the call of all trade unions, this will affect all sectors: schools, civil servants, transport, services…

According to the map posted by Unsa on the Internet, more than 200 collection points have already been identified for this day, which equals the number of days 19. “A good start on Tuesday than two days,” explained Eric Sellini. CGT Manager at TotalEnergies.

Strong mobilization in ports

On this day of mobilization, especially in the energy sector, EDF lost up to 1,700 MW of power from its hydro park, the equivalent of more than one nuclear reactor, before returning to normal operations in the afternoon. The head of the high and extra-high voltage lines of RTE confirmed that “the fluctuations occurred this afternoon, but did not affect the security of the power supply.”

The National Federation of Ports and Docks, CGT, also said in a press release that there was “a strong mobilization of workers in almost all French ports, with often 100% strikers and the ports come to a complete halt.” She called for continued movement with a new one-day shutdown on January 31 and vowed to intensify “the struggle from the week of February 6 through a resumption of action.”

At the port of La Pallis in La Rochelle, 140 dock workers, or 100% of the workforce, were on strike, according to a spokesman for the CGT union. And in Rouen, Europe’s leading grain port, about thirty CGT dock workers blocked access to the administrative headquarters of Senalia, the operator of the port’s main elevators.

Oil refineries in slow motion

At refineries, where a major wage strike had already taken place in October, causing nationwide gasoline shortages, fuel shipments to warehouses were blocked under the familiar slogan: “Nothing in, nothing out.”

In particular, this applies to the biorefinery La Mede (Bouches-du-Rhone), where the number of strikers has increased from 60 to almost 100%, or to the Donge plant (Loire-Atlantique), with “50 to 70%” strikers. strikers. They still accounted for almost 80% at the Normandy refinery and 30% at the Grandpuis (Seine-et-Marne) site, which, however, is in the process of being converted and no longer supplies fuel.

Paris will close its town halls

Also on the mobilization menu are “positive” Robin Hood actions, such as free energy, to counterbalance the criticisms made after the “target cuts” were announced, in particular against elected officials. Mayor (PS) of Paris Anne Hidalgo announced on Thursday that she had joined the call of PCF head Fabien Roussel to symbolically close town halls on January 31 in solidarity with the mobilization against pension reform.

As of Wednesday, CGT announced the reduction of wind and solar power plants in the Montlucon sector, as well as in the industrial area in Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne) on Thursday morning. As always, Enedis will file a complaint.