To understand the intensity of the protests in France, it is vital to know the actors sitting at the negotiating table. In this report, we break down the structure, history and ideological profile of the main French confederations: the CGT and its historical weight, the CFDT and its conciliatory stance, and Force Ouvrière (FO) with its distinctive political independence. We also analyse the role of the National Federation of Transport and Logistics (FNTL FO UNCP), a key actor in the blockades and industrial action that keep the country's operations on edge. This document offers the technical overview needed to understand how these organisations, some with almost a century of history, articulate the defence of labour rights in one of Europe's most important economies.
Report