The time for talking was now over, said French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Monday, as trade union workers continued their strike action which has severely dented the supply of petrol to services stations around the country.

A representative of the CGT trade union said workers had extended their strike protest on Monday at several TotalEnergies refineries and storage sites, as they seek a wage increase which they say would better reflect rising inflation.

Strikes were affecting TotalEnergies' refineries at Normandie, Donges, La Mede, and Feyzin, as well as the Dunkirk depot, said the union representative.

"The time for negotiation is over," Le Maire told BFM TV and RMC Radio on Monday, adding that he considered the CGT's ongoing strike action as "unacceptable" and "illegitimate."

There will likely be new requisitioning proceedings to unlock supplies, the French prime minister flagged on Sunday.

But even as the government continues to use force to allow supplies to exit from depots affected by the walkouts, France will need some time to get back to normal.

According to data provided by the government, roughly one in three petrol stations throughout the country has not been supplied as it should have been in the last few days.

However, in some regions in the north of the country and around Paris, the figure is higher.

French Transport Minister Clement Beaune told France Inter radio that the situation at French petrol stations may not get back to normal until next week.

"We're still struggling," said Beaune. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)