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The SGC of the oil industry, the majority, urged employees of the 13 refineries in the French strike Thursday, April 15, when a national roundtable on the future of refining in France, the union said in a statement Wednesday.

The union claims a "refining industry to serve the economic needs and the country's social and employment areas.

The panel of 15 April under the aegis of government, was obtained during the strike a week for employees of Total's refining industry in late February.

The Total Group announced Monday the end of its refining operations in Dunkirk, one of its six refineries in France, while maintaining the 370 jobs at the site through industrial restructuring, considered insufficient by the employees.

On Tuesday, employees of the refinery had planned to launch a new appeal for solidarity from other refineries in France group.

Total number of unions are to meet Thursday to take a common position.

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The French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis and the U.S. Merck in a statement announcing the creation of a joint venture in animal health. Owned equally between the two groups, it is destined to become the world's number one industry with a combined turnover of approximately $ 5.3 billion, or 29% of the market.

Since July 29, 2009 and redeemed for $ 4 billion of Merck's participation in their previous joint venture Merial, Sanofi-Aventis had an option to meet with Merial, Intervet Schering-Plow Animal Health Division in the born merger between Merck and Schering Plow.

The deal values Merial to 8 billion dollars and Intervet Schering-Plow 8.5 billion.It already cost at Sanofi-Aventis 250 million dollars to establish an equal joint venture with Merck, and 750 million under the agreement of July 2009 the statement said.

The formation of this joint venture is subject to completion of definitive agreements, review by competition authorities in the United States, Europe and other countries . The completion of the transaction is expected during the next 12 months. Pending completion of the transaction, Merial and Intervet Schering-Plow continue to work independently.

The market for animal health has reached 19 billion dollars in 2008. Products for pets represent 40% of the market and 60% for animal production.The growth of this market should be about 5% per year during the next 5 years, supported by a growing demand for animal protein, and by the substantial need for care for pets.

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