French strikes threaten chemical shutdowns - UIC

20 November 2007 11:55  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--Chemical plants in France may be forced to shut down if crippling rail strikes across the country continue into mid-week, said a spokesman from French chemicals industries association Union des Industries Chimiques (UIC) on Tuesday.

 

The industrial action has moved into its seventh day and on what has been dubbed "Black Tuesday" rail workers have been joined by public sector employees on a one-day strike.

 

The situation was “very bad, especially for gas products such as chlorine and ammonia where supplies are small due to safety reasons”, said the spokesman, who declined to be named.

 

“Several plants are directly affected and some plants must be prepared to stop in the middle of the week,” he added.

 

He said that no plants had been closed yet to his knowledge but one producer in northern France was having particular trouble sourcing vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) from the Benelux countries and may be forced to close.

 

Some chemical sites in France receive products only by rail, he added.

 

The country's rail unions are protesting against government plans to change their pension system ahead of round-table talks on Wednesday, which could see an end to the disruption.

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Author: Mark Watts
+44 20 8652 3214

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