The Railway Workers' Federation (French: Fédération des Cheminots) is the largest trade union representing workers on the railways in France.
The union was founded in 1917 as the National Federation of Railway Workers of France, the Colonies and the Protectorate Countries, and affiliated to the General Confederation of Labour (CGT).
In 1921, many members left to join the United General Confederation of Labour, but they rejoined in 1935, and this took membership from 165,000 to a claimed 320,000.
[2] In 1947, many on the right-wing of the union left to join Workers' Force.
The CGT union remained the largest on the railways, and regularly undertook industrial action in defense of pay and conditions.