Finance
TotalEnergies Workers Strike in France Over Fuel Prices
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 17, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 17, 2026
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TotalEnergies service‑station staff in France went on strike on April 17, demanding wage increases amid soaring fuel costs, despite the company having capped fuel prices to €1.99 for petrol and €2.09 for diesel.
TotalEnergies workers strike in France over fuel prices
Strike Details and Reactions
Background to the Strike
PARIS, April 17 (Reuters) - TotalEnergies service station attendants in France went on strike on Friday to protest against rising fuel costs, demanding the oil giant, which owns a quarter of the country's service stations, raise salaries.
The company said last month it would cap prices at pumps in mainland France to help customers after the Iran war pushed oil prices to their highest levels in years.
Union Demands and Statements
"Total's employees are receiving no support to cope with this surge in fuel prices, and this needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency," Sophie Binet, secretary general of the CGT trade union, told France 2 television on Friday.
Binet also reiterated a call for the government to increase minimum wages.
Company and Union Responses
A spokesperson at TotalEnergies said the company had identified only seven stations affected by the strike, representing about 4% of its sites.
In a statement, the CGT union, which represents workers in almost 200 TotalEnergies service stations across France, asked for relief from petrol costs for its workers and an increase in their salaries. It did not state the level of the requested salary increase.
Impact and Broader Context
The strike coincides with a heavy travel period in France with many families on the road as schools let out for spring holidays in parts of the country, including the region around Paris.
Monthly minimum wages in France are set at around 1,800 euros ($2,121) gross and 1,450 euros net.
"With an average wage of around 1,600 euros, we can't even afford to come to work anymore," the workers' statement said.
Government and Public Response
The French government said on Tuesday it is considering a cap on fuel distributors' margins, meeting resistance from the distribution industry.
"We are striking to be able to fill up and go to work," workers at the Southern Poitou-Charentes service station in western France wrote on a sign the CGT posted on its Facebook account.
"We want to work but not at a loss," another sign said.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.8488 euros)
(Reporting by Alessandro Parodi and Makini Brice; Editing by Joe Bavier)
Key Takeaways
- •Workers at nearly 200 TotalEnergies stations are striking over affordability of commuting amid stagnant wages, even as petrol is capped at €1.99/L and diesel at €2.09/L across 1,830 sites (lemonde.fr)
- •The strike coincides with high travel demand during spring holidays and follows a sharp fuel price surge driven by the Iran war and disruption of Strait of Hormuz supply (apnews.com)
- •French government has launched inspections and considered capping distributors’ margins, while other European states are exploring windfall taxes and broader aid to ease the energy burden (lemonde.fr)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about TotalEnergies workers strike in France over fuel prices
1Why are TotalEnergies workers striking in France?
TotalEnergies workers are striking to protest rising fuel prices and to demand salary increases to cope with higher living costs.
2How many service stations does TotalEnergies own in France?
TotalEnergies owns about a quarter of the service stations in France, with the striking union representing workers at almost 200 locations.
3What support are the workers demanding?
Workers are demanding relief from petrol costs and an increase in their salaries due to rising fuel prices.
4What actions has the French government considered regarding fuel prices?
The French government is considering a cap on fuel distributors' margins in response to rising fuel prices.
5Did TotalEnergies respond to the workers' demands?
TotalEnergies did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the workers’ salary and support demands.
