<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/06/world/europe/06france.html?_r=1&oref=slogin>
The unions, meanwhile, are playing out the dispute to the bitter end because it presents them with their best opportunity in decades to demonstrate their usefulness. Two of France's largest union syndicates, the General Confederation of Labor and the French Democratic Confederation of Labor, will have national conventions this year. Their leaders are under pressure to show results or risk losing their positions.