The CGT continues to increase the pressure on the management of EDF.
Thursday, 19 reactors undergoing maintenance and expertise were the subject of a social movement, two more than the day before.
These
"blockages of stop"
, according to the expression of the CGT, are likely to lengthen the duration of the work on these units and to make lose precious days of production to EDF.
In addition to these blockages, the strikers reduced the production of 4 reactors in operation, according to the CGT.
The movement extends reactor after reactor, while management began Thursday morning the annual salary negotiations.
"The objective of these negotiations is to complete the general branch increases with individual company increases"
, says one on the management side.
These discussions follow on from the salary agreement for the electrical and gas industries branch (IEG) signed on Tuesday by the CGT, FO and the CFDT, but not by the CFE-CGC, the first union at EDF.
This is the first time since 2008 that a branch agreement has been ratified by a majority of trade unions, it is pointed out at EDF.
Read alsoWhy the strike at EDF power plants risks increasing tensions on the electricity network this winter
Beyond the social tussle, the strike risks endangering the smooth passage of winter.
Few reactors will operate in the heart of the cold season, and the movement to the call of the CGT could make matters worse by postponing the restart of precious units.
RTE, network manager, warned
"that an extension of the social movement would have serious consequences on the heart of winter"
.
Each day of delay costs EDF 120 million euros
The strike aggravates EDF's financial difficulties.
Due to a nuclear production problem caused by a corrosion defect, the group could suffer a loss of 17 billion euros this year, according to some financial analysts.
EDF could see its debt swell by more than 20 billion, to more than 60 billion euros.
Each day lost would indeed cost the group 120 million euros – more than 800 million euros per week, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Both because of the lack of revenue, but also because of the obligation to buy back at a high price on the markets the electricity not produced but sold in advance by the electrician.