Refinery occupation
February 17, 2010
Labor unions for oil giant Total have called for a nationwide walkout in France on Wednesday and Thursday in support of protesting refinery workers who have occupied a site in Dunkerque.
More than 100 protesting workers, fearing their plant is set for closure, pushed past security at the site to take over the offices on Tuesday. Total said about 30 workers are currently in the offices.
The workers have said they refuse to leave until they can meet with executives from the Total SA headquarters in Paris.
Workers at the refinery in northern France have been on strike since January 12. The plant employs around 600 staff, but stopped producing fuel products in September due to low margins and low demand.
Total, Europe's largest oil refiner, has said no redundancies would take place if the Dunkerque site is closed. Workers would either be offered another job in the group or be given early retirement.
cmk/AP/Reuters
Editor: Nancy Isenson