Louis Saillant

He became active in the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), becoming secretary of its Building and Woodworkers' Federation.

In 1940, the Vichy government outlawed trade unions, but the CGT continued, illegally, in support of the French Resistance.

When the anti-communist wing split away from the CGT and formed Workers' Force (FO), he supported the generally communist majority, but thereafter devoted his time to the WFTU.

[3] In 1948, he was excluded from the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO) for having sided with the CGT in the split.

He resigned as leader of the WFTU shortly afterwards, blaming health problems, and was instead made honorary president of the federation.