The General Strike in France

From a Striking French Oil Worker:

We've spent the last three days going from road block to road block,
together with teachers, railroad workers, truckers, nurses, etc.

As a result, all the petrol stations in a radius of 70 kms (50 miles)
are closed, completely out of gas.

Today, we got the main Teachers' Union to call on all striking teachers to come and
help block all the remaining fuel depots. The police can't intervene, because the
truckers have established road blocks on the major roads leading to the oil depot.

All 12 French oil refineries are on strike until next Friday. Many depots are
blocked. Half the train stations (including major ones) are closed. Truckers have
blocked the roads leading to the main production areas, and factories cannot
function because they lack raw material and pieces (they don't have any stocks of
materials stored because they believe storage costs money).
What is incredible is that despite the fact that there is no more oil
available, and therefore that people are blocked at home, a resounding
71% of the population approves of the strike (according to today's polls).

The movement is set to last at least another week. I spent the whole of
Sunday night with transport (railway and truckers) workers playing cards
and drinking beer. It was quite cold (2°C) around 4 AM, but the railroad
workers brought several truck-loads of "palettes" (empty wooden
containers) and we lit a mighty bonfire.

Workers are determined to fight until the bitter end. Workers who chose
not to go on strike are being encouraged to donate part of their salary
to the workers of the most "strategic" sectors, especially the Donges refinery.
Personally, this is my 6th day of Strike. The consensus now being that "revolving"
strikes (15% of the workforce on strike on a given day) would enable us to hold out
longer.

The support from "ordinary people" is astounding. When we block a
freeway, drivers often honk to support us, give us money, hand us daily
newspapers, even though we are effectively blocking them.
Anyway, the mood is indescribable. Workers from every sector are united
and determined, and for the first time, many workers can chat with
people employed in other industries knowing that they share a common
goal.