Biggest strike in decades

4-02-1970 An explosion kills 16 people in a Fouquières-lez-Lens mine belonging to the Compagnie des mines de Courrières, in Pas-de-Calais. [more]

7-02-2006 400,000 people in 187 cities protested against the new CPE law which gave bosses right to fire 18-26 year-old workers with neither notice nor reason. Strikes, riots, occupations and blockades forced govt to drop it. [more]

8-02-1962 The Charonne massacre took place in Paris, when nine members of the CGT trade union were killed by the police while demonstrating against the OAS French paramilitaries in Algeria. [more]

10-02-1905 As a cobblers 'strike at the Monteux factory ends, 600 people listen to Auguste Delalé, secretary of the Parisian CGT cobblers' union at the Limoges LaboUr Exchange. [more]

10-02-1913 Strike at Renault against timing and payment for missing parts and broken tools, the creation of a workers' committee. In retaliation, 436 strikers were dismissed, the workshops closed. [more]

14-02-1974 Despite calls by political parties and unions which fear a resumption of excesses, the number of strikers determined to continue the movement is so great that, ultimately, the continuation of the strike is announced. [more]

14-02-1974 The Chalvet killings. An ambush was set up against the strikers gathered in the Fond Brûlé dwelling, the gendarmes fired live bullets and launched tear gas from a helicopter. One dead and several injured. [more]

16-02-1943 Establishment of the compulsory labor service (STO) for men aged 21 to 23. More than 650,000 of them will be sent to Germany to work there. Almost 35,000 will die there. [more]

18-02-1924 Madame Sorgue, French revolutionary & feminist died in London. A fierce advocate for the working class, she supported many strikes, including several by women workers in France against sexual harassment from male bosses [more]

25-02-1792 Working class ‘sans-culottes’ invaded shops in Paris forcing merchants to sell their goods at affordable prices. [more]