He was the long-term secretary-general of the Comité des forges, an association of iron and steel manufacturers that was influential in setting industrial policy, particularly during World War I (1914–18).
[1] In 1885, three years after the death of Frédéric le Play, Henri de Tourville and Edmond Demolins founded a new journal, Science sociale.
"[4] While at the Musée social, Pinot joined the Grand Cercle Républicain, organized by the Revue politique et parlementaire with the hope that it would supply leaders of a new conservative party.
Pinot thought the syndicate was a counterweight to "an overloaded state, feeble or tyrannical, and a working class inflamed and misled by bad guides."
[3] In 1899 the Minister of Commerce, Alexandre Millerand, issued a decree that gave trade unions semi-official status, including the right to elect members to the Conseil supérieur du travail, where they would join government and employer representatives in discussions of proposed legislation.
In 1900 another decree established regional Conseils du travail to report on labour conditions and the effects of protective legislation, help arrange collective contracts and mediate in disputes.
Pinot organized opposition by employees to these decrees, which were strongly opposed by large industrialists who feared the growth of trade unions now they had a stronger voice.
[6] Pinot gained support for employer positions in the Senate and the Conseil d'Etat, but was less successful with the Chamber of Deputies, although he succeeded in having some bills changed.
His committee used its publications, mailing lists and contacts throughout the country to influence reluctant deputies, and coordinated activities by the member steel firms such as petitions and meetings with politicians.
[11] During debates over tariffs in 1909–10 Pinot argued for protection on the basis of the importance of the iron and steel industry to national defense and the difficulty it faced in competing with foreign firms that had lower costs and greater access to skilled labor.
[9] The Comité des forges included engineering firms that purchased steel and were not in favor of high duties, but Pinot managed to maintain solidarity through a complex system of cartels and syndicates.
[1] During the war the government used Pinot and the staff of the Comité des forges to control import of metals and their distribution to manufacturers, and to give out contracts for armaments.
He was therefore in favour of German firms retaining partial ownership of assets in Lorraine, a position that was seen as treachery by small businesses and others who wanted to ruin Germany so France could become an uncontested economic leader.
As general secretary Robert Pinot defended himself and the steel masters, but the suspicion lingered and the Comité des Forges was attacked by the Left throughout the years that followed.
Marcel Peschaud, secretary-general of the Paris-Orléans company, discussed with Pinot the possibility of organizing professional groups and Chambers of Commerce to demand laws that would make strikes against public services illegal.
In early 1922 Pinot explained to Camille Cavallier of the steelworks at Pont-à-Mousson in Lorraine that this had "permitted a boycotting of our minette ore these past years.
Pinot combined the various proposals and submitted them to the Poincaré government in mid November, demanding that France acquire majority or total ownership of German firms, not just minority positions.