Marseille port workers to vote on extending strike

Striking port workers in the southern city of Marseille will vote tomorrow on whether to extend their protest against restructuring plans, a union source said today.

The strike, which started on Thursday, has blocked traffic at France's biggest oil port, Fos Lavera, and kept more than 30 ships at the quayside or in the harbour.

The French port union, part of the CGT union federation, said last week that the strike over port reforms could cripple French ports over the coming week.

Workers have been protesting against government plans to privatise loading activities at state-run ports, disrupting traffic at one of the country's most important hubs.

The strategic Fos Lavera port supplies crude to eight refineries in southeast France that have total capacity of around 800 000 barrels per day.

Crude supplies from the terminal also go to the 300 000 bpd Miro refinery in Germany and the 68 000 bpd Cressier refinery in Switzerland.

Source: Reuters