A strike like this can paralyse a country!

French oil industry is in crisis as strike continues. Striking French oil refinery employees voted on Wednesday to maintain blockades now in their third week, despite a government order for some of them to return to work in a bid to get fuel supplies flowing.

Workers Requisitioned

France's Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne asked prefects to launch the procedure "to requisition workers who are indispensable to the functioning of the Esso petrol depots.

Requisitions allow authorities to order some of the workers of the petrol depots hit by strikes to return to work. A similar measure was imposed in 2010 during strikes in French refineries.

According to such an order a small number of workers - fewer than 10 according to regulations - should return to work to ensure essential shipping services.

31 percent of stations across the country lacked at least one grade of fuel, a figure that stood at 44% in the greater Paris region. The industrial action to demand pay hikes has paralysed six out of the seven refineries in France, leading to shortages of petrol and diesel exacerbated by panic-buying from drivers.

Panic Buying

Panic buying by consumers worried that stations might run out of fuel altogether is increasing problems facing motorists, though authorities are urging consumers not to worry.

Government Dips Into Strategic Reserve

Government officials said they increased petrol imports and released some of the state's strategic stocks to help ease the shortages - amid concern that they could prompt protests across the country.

My take

Don't the striking workers have any sense of nationalism? They don't seem to realise that their country is on its knees and the cumulative effect could cripple its economy, which can turn out to be fatal for the the country 

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 6, the chores and was ready by 10.

The maid came earlier than usual and went about her job.

Ramesh, the gardener and his assistant, Vishnu had come a half past 2 and completed the jobs they'd begun yesterday.

A quiet evening.