Philippe Martinez, the union leader taking on Macron

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One of the more outspoken public figures in France’s ongoing social and labor unrest is Philippe Martinez, the leader of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), France’s largest trade union. Martinez has become a key figure in the ‘yellow vest’ protests, which are largely directed against the President, Emmanuel Macron and his government’s proposed labour law reforms.

In September 2018, Martinez led the CGT in a nationwide strike, what it described as a “historic mobilization” against Macron’s plans. Martinez, who has been head of the CGT since 2015, has been highly critical of the government’s “anti-worker” policies and the “brutal lack of dialogue” on the issue of labor reform.

The strike caused disruption in many different sectors, including transport and health, and it is estimated that up to 2 million people took part. Despite the magnitude of the strike, the government refused to back down on its labor reforms, reviving the controversial anti-labor reforms in February 2019.

This caused fury among the CGT and other trade unions, and it has been Martinez’s continued battle against the government’s reforms that has led to the widespread “yellow vest” protests. Martinez has been unswervingly vocal in protesting the lack of dialogue between the government and the unions, famously describing Macron as “the president of the rich”.

With a large portion of the population now behind the CGT and its cause, Martinez’s unflinching and courageous stance against the government’s labor reforms have made him a hero of sorts among the French people. He has become an icon of resistance and a symbol of the growing push back against Macron’s prescriptive rule.

Though the government has, thus far, successfully resisted the labor reforms, Martinez continues to fight for the rights of French workers and has become one of the most famous and outspoken faces of the labor movement in France. Whether he will ultimately be successful or not, only time will tell.