Refineries… and nuclear power plants. Several nuclear power plants were still experiencing strikes on Wednesday, October 12 to obtain wage increases and take inflation into account. These strikes launched for several weeks at the call of inter-unions are likely to cause delays in the work prior to the restart of certain reactors.
The power plants of Tricastin (Drôme), Cruas (Ardèche), Bugey (Ain), Cattenom (Moselle) are particularly affected by these strikes. They delay, for some, the tests prior to their return to the network after planned maintenance operations or work to solve corrosion problems, while France is experiencing a very tense situation with the approach of winter, with a large part of the nuclear fleet which is unavailable.
At branch level, after months of arm wrestling, the employers of the electricity and gas industries and the unions reached an agreement on October 6, subject to signature until Monday October 17, which provides in particular for an increase of 3, 6% of the basic national salary over 2022 and 2023, including 2.3% for 2023. Progress “notable but far from reaching the demands”, in particular of the FNME-CGT, according to its federal secretary Fabrice Coudour. “As it is a branch agreement, there will be company negotiations behind it,” he added, specifying the purpose of these strike movements.
The CGT notably asked for inflation to be caught up and recalled, through the voice of Fabrice Coudour, that it was around 6% in August. There is “no trend that emerges for the moment” from the consultation of the base by the CGT unions of the electricity and gas industries, to know if this agreement will be ratified by the union, estimated Fabrice Coudour. “We defend the salary aspect, but behind, if we need to be recognized for our jobs, it is also to defend the public service”, he underlined on October 4, anticipating possible criticism in a context tension on energy.
On Thursday, the Gravelines power plant (North), the most powerful in Western Europe, will join the movement. In this plant, the employees, on strike at the call of FO and the CGT to demand a 5% increase in their gross salary, threaten to delay the connection to the network of one of the six 900 MW reactors, which will be stopped this weekend for annual maintenance and must be restarted before the end of the year.
According to the FO secretary of the social and economic committee, Franck Redondo, a delay in the connection would have no consequences for individuals, but would lead to “cuts” in companies.
“Strikes may have an impact on certain maintenance work,” EDF told AFP, without being able to immediately assess whether the schedule for returning these facilities to the network would be affected by these movements. If necessary, EDF would be required to communicate it.
