Police order striking French petrol staff back to work

Police outside the TotalEnergies fuel depot of Mardyck, near Dunkirk, northern France, on October 13, 2022, where essential striking workers were ordered by the French government to return to work. AFP - DENIS CHARLET

Workers at an oil refinery in northern France have agreed to go back to work after weeks of striking as the government ordered more staff back to work at other sites, saying petrol shortages are taking too big a toll on the economy.

Management at one of two Esso-ExxonMobil refineries in Fos-sur-Mer confirmed that workers voted Thursday to end their strike and would be going back to work.