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Biography
André Renard (Valenciennes 25 May 1911 - Seraing 20 July 1962), was the leader of an important tendency in Walloon trade unionism.
Resistance and a new faction in the Syndicalism
In World War II, a left-wing syndicalist faction grew up in the underground labour movement, opposed to close ties with any political parties. André Renard was the leader of this faction. He gives his name to Renardism, the programme of the Walloon Movement in the general strike of 1960-1961 in Wallonia led by the General Federation of Belgian Labour.
Against Leopold III of Belgium
In 1950, Léopold III came back to Belgium and was met with a general strike. As Secretary-General of the General Federation of Belgian Labour, Renard made a statement to Le Soir: From today , the words insurrection and revolution will have for us a practical sense. We will use them in our daily life vocabulary.
In the ECSC
André Renard was member of the Consultative Committee, similar, in the European Coal and Steel Community, to the Economic and Social Committee. He was president of this Committee from 1954 to 1955, pushing unsuccessfully for more social and economical competences for it (prices and wage setting, investment).
At the head of the Walloon movement
He was the leader of the 1960-1961 Winter General Strike which he claimed was: “For a Walloon Wallonia: against the Loi Unique: against the misery in Borinage: against the oppression of unitary government: against the Flemish Government: against the murderers of the Walloon people.” (The Times, January 10, 1961).