Andre Renard
See also: Fox (homonymy)
André Renard (Valencian, the May 25th 1911 - Seraing July 20th 1962) is a resistant trade unionist and Belgian of the 20th century.
Born with Valencian in 1911, trade unionist as of 1932 it militates for the 40 hours in 1936. Fact captive and deportee in Germany of 1940 with 1942. Released due to disease, it engages in Walloon resistance . He dies in Seraing in 1962 after a militant long career trade unionist in Wallonia. He asserts a trade-union design independently of the traditional political parties.
Engaged as workman after his military service, it launches out quickly in the experiment trade unionist. Returned for this reason, there remain several months without work. He works then at various places or he accumulates the experiments trade unionists and learns with better knowing the economic life and social of Belgium.
Militant of trade-union independence
Mobilized in 1939, it is arrested, imprisoned and off-set. In 1942, sick, it is released and returned at his place, it will not be long in entering resistance. Within this framework it organizes actions in order to slow down the production and to sabotage the tool, it also writes in the clandestine press. It emits also a project of gathering of the trade unions in a single trade union. With the release, in spite of the support of more than 80 pourcent metallurgists inhabitant of Li2ege, it manages to carry out its objective only partially. He manages to amalgamate many trade unions and creates FGTB in April 45, but CSC after having taken part in the beginning of the negotiations will be withdrawn.
Opposed to the return of Léopold III
In 1950, André Renard is posed against the return of the king. He gives his support for the Walloon National congress extraordinary convened in March to Charleroi. He contributes besides to the watchword of general strike to the return of this one. He belongs to the personalities which tried to form a separatist Walloon Gouvernement after the drama of Grace-Berleur.
Partisan of the autonomy of Wallonia and reforms of structure
The same year, André Renard estimates that the federalism is a good thing, it thus brings supports it FGTB with the Walloon national congress. He insists however for the fact that this release must partly return to the working class. A few years later, he is elected assistant general secretary of FGTB, in the facts, he deals with regional Walloon. During the Fifties, André Renard launches also his programme of reform of structures. He points several problems of the Belgian economy, his proposals are adopted unanimously by FGTB, but will divide in the Flemish and Walloon facts. The Belgian Socialist party (PSB) adopts at the end of the decade its reform program of structure but also the idea of a scission of the party for each community.
The General strike of the winter 1960-1961
At the time of winter 60-61, André Renard takes part in the strikes against the single law. Through the place of the trade unions which it coordinates and its assertion which the federalism is essential to the realization of the reforms of structures of the State, it is even an outstanding personality. After the suspension of the strike, he intends to continue the fight, resigns of FGTB and creates the Walloon Popular movement (MPW). Within this group, it militates to start again the economic activity thanks to the reforms of structures (...) Seul the federalism can create the favorable conditions with the reforms of economic structure which will create themselves the conditions of the economic expansion in the social progress. The militants are however registered in mass with the MPW the lobby propelled quickly on the political scene will owe déchanter quickly, it loses its leader later one year and declines as from this moment.
The Renardisme
One generally indicated the sights, the practices of Andre Renard, subordinating the Walloon fight to the union action as concerning a more complete view of the company than one could regard as a specific form of Socialisme or Syndicalisme and which is indicated under the name of Renardisme.
See too
- Jacques Yerna, one of the principal collaborators of Andre Renard with the Walloon FGTB and the Walloon Popular movement.