Marseille unions end strike that restricted refinery inputs

A threat to product deliveries throughout Europe has been lifted following the settlement of a 12-day strike in Marseille, France, which has the Mediterranean's biggest concentration of oil refineries and petrochemical plants.

Nov. 26, 2001

By the OGJ Online Staff

LONDON, Nov. 26 -- A threat to product deliveries throughout Europe has been lifted following the settlement of a 12-day strike in Marseille, France, which has the Mediterranean's biggest concentration of oil refineries and petrochemical plants.

The dispute over pay and working hours featured bitter clashes between the independent port authorities and the main union, and needed a government-appointed mediator to intervene on Saturday.

The strike had paralyzed the French port and affected major oil plants, but port officials said they had struck a "reasonable" agreement.

Unions had started lifting a blockade of the port, which they began on Friday after talks had failed. The blockade prevented about 40 oil tankers and cargo vessels from entering or leaving.

Marseille is a hub for deliveries of crude. BP PLC, ExxonMobil Corp., and TotalFinaElf SA said on Friday they had cut output at nearby refineries as a result of the strike and warned customers that deliveries would be limited this week if the strike continued. However, production was moving back to normal levels and deliveries were made to the ExxonMobil facility at the port today.