The Culture of Union Activism

French union culture differs dramatically from business unionism focused solely on wages and conditions. Union activists see themselves as militants engaged in social transformation, not service providers for dues-paying members. This ideological commitment attracts devoted activists but alienates workers seeking simple representation without political baggage.

Marc Dubois, a CGT delegate at a Toulouse aerospace factory, explains: "I don't recruit members—I raise consciousness. When workers understand their exploitation, when they see their collective power, membership follows naturally. But even if they never join, if they stand with us during strikes, if they vote for us in elections, they're part of our movement."

This militant culture creates distinctive practices. Union meetings resemble political education sessions more than business gatherings. Debates about strategy invoke historical precedents—the Commune, the Popular Front, May 68—assuming historical knowledge that younger workers increasingly lack. The vocabulary itself—"camarade," "patron," "lutte des classes"—maintains revolutionary rhetoric in contemporary contexts.