Resistence, resistence!
base (la) = the base, workers who won't stop striking even when the union calls it off
barrage filtrant (le) = filter roadblock, when pickets or "militants" disrupt passage or access to non strikers and public
blocage (le) = shut-down, done to universities by militants
bras de fer (le) = arm wrestle, trial of strength = ritual which ends when government surrenders to la rue (see below)
coagulation (la) = fusion of protesting trades, feared by government (une coagulation de mécontentements, le Monde last week)
colère (la) = anger = emotion, always legitimate, justifies blocage, barrage filtrant etc. (ex: les routiers en colère ont bloqué l'autoroute (protesting truck drivers stopped traffic on the ring road).
conflit social (le) = strike or threatened strike
coordination (la) = wild-cat strikers who have given up on unions.
crever = to croak, die of exhaustion or hunger = fate awaiting workers if they don't win strike/protest
crise (la) = state that France believes it is living in since mid-1980s
droit acquis (le) = acquired right = privilege. eg: retirement at 55 ("One must never give up acquired rights" President Francois Mitterrand, 1992)
flexibilité (la) = giving up acquired right, cause for social movement, dirty word (see blairisme), government-preferred alternative: la souplesse
galère, la = galley (as in slave) = ordeal suffered by les usagers (the public).("Une autre journée de galère.." = standard opening of morning radio news.)
grand soir (le) = great evening = overthrow of capitalist system, result of la lutte finale (see below). Usually negative, to profess moderation (ex: We are not dreaming of le grand soir, just defending our rights. Bernard Thibault, boss of CGT union)
grève (la) = strike, basic human right
grève reconductible (la) = renewable strike, extended by daily afternoon vote, way of torturing l'usager (see below)
grèviculteur (le) = promoter of strikes, coined this week by CGT rail union from agriculteur (farmer)
grogne (la) = rumbing discontent, presages mouvement social
lutte (la) = struggle, always noble, often synonymous with la galère
militant (le) = member of minority, devoted to la lutte, blocage etc.
mobilisation (la) = stopping work
mouvement social (le) = strike (ex: En raison d'un mouvement social, tout le service sur la ligne 9 est interrompu. Metro announcement. "Due to a social movement, all service on line 9 has been suspended")
pagaille (la) = chaos, consequence of la mobilisation
partenaires sociaux (les) = employers and unions, adversaries
pénibilité du travail (la) = tough job in state sector, rewarded with droits acquis
plan social (le) = job redundancies
rue (la) = the street, opposition to government, usually wins
social = industrial relations
solidarité (la) = supporting a worthy cause. (ex: Je suis solidaire avec le mouvement social = I don't mind waiting hours for a train because I support the strike)
syndicat (le) = trade/labour union, array of rival bodies to which eight percent of French workers belong
Thatcherisation (la) = horror, fate to be averted with lutte, mobilisation, etc. (see political glossary)
barrage filtrant (le) = filter roadblock, when pickets or "militants" disrupt passage or access to non strikers and public
blocage (le) = shut-down, done to universities by militants
bras de fer (le) = arm wrestle, trial of strength = ritual which ends when government surrenders to la rue (see below)
coagulation (la) = fusion of protesting trades, feared by government (une coagulation de mécontentements, le Monde last week)
colère (la) = anger = emotion, always legitimate, justifies blocage, barrage filtrant etc. (ex: les routiers en colère ont bloqué l'autoroute (protesting truck drivers stopped traffic on the ring road).
conflit social (le) = strike or threatened strike
coordination (la) = wild-cat strikers who have given up on unions.
crever = to croak, die of exhaustion or hunger = fate awaiting workers if they don't win strike/protest
crise (la) = state that France believes it is living in since mid-1980s
droit acquis (le) = acquired right = privilege. eg: retirement at 55 ("One must never give up acquired rights" President Francois Mitterrand, 1992)
flexibilité (la) = giving up acquired right, cause for social movement, dirty word (see blairisme), government-preferred alternative: la souplesse
galère, la = galley (as in slave) = ordeal suffered by les usagers (the public).("Une autre journée de galère.." = standard opening of morning radio news.)
grand soir (le) = great evening = overthrow of capitalist system, result of la lutte finale (see below). Usually negative, to profess moderation (ex: We are not dreaming of le grand soir, just defending our rights. Bernard Thibault, boss of CGT union)
grève (la) = strike, basic human right
grève reconductible (la) = renewable strike, extended by daily afternoon vote, way of torturing l'usager (see below)
grèviculteur (le) = promoter of strikes, coined this week by CGT rail union from agriculteur (farmer)
grogne (la) = rumbing discontent, presages mouvement social
lutte (la) = struggle, always noble, often synonymous with la galère
militant (le) = member of minority, devoted to la lutte, blocage etc.
mobilisation (la) = stopping work
mouvement social (le) = strike (ex: En raison d'un mouvement social, tout le service sur la ligne 9 est interrompu. Metro announcement. "Due to a social movement, all service on line 9 has been suspended")
pagaille (la) = chaos, consequence of la mobilisation
partenaires sociaux (les) = employers and unions, adversaries
pénibilité du travail (la) = tough job in state sector, rewarded with droits acquis
plan social (le) = job redundancies
rue (la) = the street, opposition to government, usually wins
social = industrial relations
solidarité (la) = supporting a worthy cause. (ex: Je suis solidaire avec le mouvement social = I don't mind waiting hours for a train because I support the strike)
syndicat (le) = trade/labour union, array of rival bodies to which eight percent of French workers belong
Thatcherisation (la) = horror, fate to be averted with lutte, mobilisation, etc. (see political glossary)