Report: Sarkozy intervenes in oil refinery strike

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has personally intervened in the strike of oil refinery workers for the French petroleum giant Total, which went into its seventh day Tuesday.

The online edition of the weekly Le Point reported Tuesday that Sarkozy summoned Total head Christophe de Margery to the Elysee Palace to discuss the job conflict, DPA reported.

According to government spokesman Luc Chatel, Sarkozy demanded that France's refinery capacities be maintained at their current level.

Margery had been in the United States to talk to investors, and had planned to stay there until Wednesday. But after Sarkozy's invitation, he hastily changed his plans, arriving in Paris Tuesday morning.

On Monday, Sarkozy had spoken with the head of Total's board of directors, Thierry Desmarest. After that meeting, Total offered to meet with union representatives for another round of negotiations.

Total's oil refinery workers went on strike last week to protest the planned closing of one of Total's six French refineries.

France Info radio reported Tuesday that workers from two refineries belonging to the American oil company Exxon Mobil joined the job action, putting more pressure on domestic petrol supplies.

On Monday, Total said that 127 of its 26,000 Total and Elf service stations in the country had signalled shortfalls.

The head of French Union of Petroleum Industries, Jean-Louis Schilansky, told BFM radio Tuesday that there was enough petrol on stock to last for seven to 10 days.