French CGT Union Oil Sector Workers to Join Strike Next Week

Oil sector workers of French CGT union will join a national strike on May 17-20 against labour law reform, affecting operations at refineries across France and potentially disrupting supplies, a union official said on Friday.

The national strike was called after President Francois Hollande's Socialist government opted on Tuesday to force the unpopular labour market reforms through the lower house of parliament without a vote.

"What we have decided this morning is to launch a strike on all refineries in France from May 17 in the morning until midday on May 20," Thierry Defresne, CGT union official at Total , said.

Defresne said the strike will affect Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Esso facilities, in additional to an ongoing strike at Total's 117,000 barrels-per-day Feyzin refinery.

A spokeswoman for Exxon Mobil said she was not aware of a planned strike at their refineries. Total was not immediately available to comment.

Workers at Total's 219,000 barrels per day Donges refinery near Nantes, will also join the strike, potentially disrupting fuel shipments in western France, another CGT official said.

Total has five refineries in France.

Defresne said CGT will call for a shutdown of production on all sites during a general assembly meeting on May 20, if the unions decide to increase pressure on the government.

CGT's dockers and port workers will also join the strike on May 17 and May 19, which could disrupt shipments of grain and other cargoes through the French ports.

(Reporting by Bate Felix and Michel Rose)