Paris - (AFP) - France is preparing for a day of major unrest on Tuesday, with unions calling for strikes and demonstrations to demand higher wages and an end to forcing striking workers in refineries and fuel depots to work.

This mobilization day comes in a context that has become combustible due to the strike at refineries, which has greatly disrupted fuel distribution throughout the country for about two weeks, especially in the north, center and Paris region.

The government responded by calling the strikers to reopen some fuel depots. Likewise, French President Emmanuel Macron, Monday, summoned Prime Minister Elizabeth Born and the relevant ministers to assess the situation at a time when 30 percent of service stations in France are experiencing unrest, and there are often endless queues for motorists.

"We will continue to do our best," Macron said, adding that he wants to resolve this crisis "as soon as possible" and stressing that he stands "by all our citizens who are struggling and who are tired of this situation."

For his part, Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire said that it should "liberate fuel depots and refineries that have been denied access and resort to means to issue orders that force employees to work."

He added, "The time for negotiation has passed. There was negotiation, and there was an agreement, and this means that the force must remain with the vote of the majority," referring to the agreement between the "Total Energy" group and two unions, but it was not signed by the General Confederation of Workers (CGT). ) who initiated the strike movement.

On the other hand, the Secretary-General of the General Confederation of Labor, Felipe Martinez, on Monday called on the government to "sit around the table" with the unions to "discuss raising the minimum wage."

Likewise, the General Secretary of the "Manpower" union, Frederic Soyo, who is also participating in this strike day, stressed that "forcing employees to work by official order is unacceptable and is never the right solution."

Among the reasons behind the dissatisfaction of millions of employees: inflation affecting purchasing power, the upcoming tightening of rules for unemployment benefits, and pension reform expected at the end of the year.

Tuesday's strike will particularly affect the railway companies (SNCF) and the Paris public transport companies (RATP).

Rail traffic is expected to see major disruptions in the Paris region as one out of every two trains will be running. On the other hand, traffic on the main line is expected to be less turbulent.

Meanwhile, union and government officials will monitor on Tuesday the number of strikers, especially in strategic sectors such as transportation and energy... and any calls for a renewed strike, in the railways sector, for example, in light of the approaching school holiday that begins Friday.
These moves come in the wake of a demonstration against the "high cost of living" organized by left-wing parties, including "rebellious France" in Paris. The number of participants reached 140,000 people, according to the organizers, 30,000 people, according to the police, and 29,500 people, according to a census conducted by the "Ocurance" center for a number of media outlets, including Agence France-Presse.
The consequences of the strike at refineries are felt in many sectors: difficulties in getting to work, anxiety in rural areas in the midst of the harvest season, fear of disruption to leavers and cancellations of bookings.