A new action was carried out this Thursday, March 16 by the CGT. Always so opposed to the government’s pension reform, the unions blocked access to the Port-La Nouvelle oil depot. The demonstrators were there from 4 a.m., preventing the first trucks that came to stock up on fuel from getting to the site. Reporting.
It’s 4 o’clock in the morning. The town of Port-La Nouvelle is asleep, peacefully. Several red-stained cars and trucks park near a roundabout that provides access to the town’s oil depot. It is about 75 demonstrators of the CGT who will block the passage to the oil depot of the city, one more protest against the pension reform. This Thursday, March 16, the latter will be submitted to the vote of the Senate and then of the National Assembly. “We must mark the occasion, once again”underlines Vincent Morgan de Rivery, CGT union representative of Orano-Malvési.
#PensionReform Since 4 a.m. this Thursday, CGT unionists have been blocking access to the Port-la Nouvelle oil depot in Aude pic.twitter.com/oHvgHzmjmL
– The Indep Narbonne (@Narbonne_lindep) March 16, 2023
The first trucks, which come to stock up on fuel, turn around, blocked by the trade unionists. They will park near Sigean, in a large parking lot, inactive. The action of the demonstrators seems successful. And the latter always claim the same thing: the withdrawal of the reform.
Be seen and heard
They are bundled up, drinking coffee and warming up by a fire lit that morning. Cars circulate around the roundabout, some drivers honk their horns, trade unionists greet them or thank them. Jésabelle Paoli, secretary of the local union of the CGT Narbonne – Littoral, wants us to measure their commitments for several months: “At least we are seen. People are paying attention and know that we are still there. There will be other similar actions in the coming days”she says.
Even if the law is passed? Vincent Morgan de Rivery replies: “90% of the assets are against this reform. The government does not have public opinion behind it. If it is adopted in the Assembly, it is a democratic denial.” In the event of 49.3, the unions believe that the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Bornes, “is playing with fire”. “We’ll see how the day goes. But it could be risky”notes Jésabelle Paoli.
A blockage until at least 4 p.m.
Sitting on their chairs or standing, the trade unionists do not intend to move anytime soon. Since the beginning of the day, they have been scrutinizing the news and awaiting the outcome of this afternoon at the Palais Bourbon. “Depending on what will be decided, we will stay or not until 4 p.m. minimum. We may block an additional day”, opines the secretary of the local union. The hours go by but this Thursday is far from over. Truckers have understood this well.
The CGT has decided to block the Port-La Nouvelle oil depot in order to mark, once again, their opposition to the pension reform.
Since this morning, truck drivers, who have to fill their trucks, have been waiting in Sigean. They are about fifty, the gendarmes show them a place to park. Outside, they chat and look at the time. None of them was aware of this mobilization. “We hope that we will be able to get back to work quickly. Personally, I had to go to the Pyrénées-Orientales, to the town of Boulou, to put petrol in the stations. We were informed that from 14 hours we could go to the Port-La Nouvelle depot. We want to believe it“, says one of them.
The CGT, it does not seem to agree.