André Marius Fressinet (29 February 1904 – 7 September 2004) was a

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

trade union leader.

Biography

Born in Dieulefit, Fressinet began work at the age of 13 and joined the Union of Skins and Hides in

Romans-sur-Isère Romans-sur-Isère (; ; Old Occitan: ''Romans'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Drôme Departments of France, department in southeastern France. Geography Romans-sur-Isère is located on the Isère (river), Isère, northeast of Valence, ...

, which was affiliated to the General Confederation of Labour (CGT). He also took part in demonstrations against

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, but after the war, he completed his military service in the

French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...

. After military service, Fressinet returned to work, and joined the United General Confederation of Labour (CGTU), and the Communist Youth. In 1929, he moved to

Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...

, and eventually found work in the merchant navy. He travelled regularly to East Asia, and was suspected by the French government of supporting the communist movement in

French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China), officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954. It was initial ...

. He was sacked, but found work with other companies. In 1936, he was elected as the secretary of the sailors' section of the

French Communist Party The French Communist Party (, , PCF) is a Communism, communist list of political parties in France, party in France. The PCF is a member of the Party of the European Left, and its Member of the European Parliament, MEPs sit with The Left in the ...

(PCF). As a PCF member, Fressinet was arrested in 1940, but released two years later, and took part in the

French resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...

. He took various sectional and regional roles in the PCF, and helped reform the CGT's National Federation of Maritime Unions (FNSM). In 1945, he was elected as general secretary of the FNSM, and he was arrested during the strike of 1948. In 1949, he moved to become general secretary of the Trade Union International of Seamen and Dockers, in which role he was heavily involved in opposition to the

Indochina War The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam, and alternatively internationally as the French-Indochina War) was fought between France and Việt Minh ( Democratic Rep ...

. He was jailed in 1950, convicted of illegally exercising a trade union mandate, and the international became inactive. Following some underground work, he moved to

Gdynia Gdynia is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With an estimated population of 257,000, it is the List of cities in Poland, 12th-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in the Pomeranian Voivodeship after Gdańsk ...

in Poland and set up new headquarters there. In 1953, the international merged with the Trade Union International of Land and Air Transport Workers, to form the Trade Union International of Transport, Port and Fishery Workers, based in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

. Fressinet was elected as its first general secretary, and relocated to Austria. In 1956, he moved back to Marseille, where he worked at the Ateliers du Canet, and remained active in the CGT and PCF.

References

1904 births 2004 deaths French Communist Party members French Resistance members French trade union leaders French men centenarians People from Romans-sur-Isère {{France-mil-bio-stub