[userulluipeste]

"To some people, these «unions» appear to be protection rackets, but I saw them as part of the French society and culture."

This push of yours to shield the unions with culture is reprehensible. There are definitely elements that are part of culture/society (conferring it uniqueness), but those should be carefully kept apart from other things such as unions what are not. Don't let the economic players to corrupt your perceptions towards non-economical realm, especially when what is targeted is a part of your identity (and therefore affects your ability to judge things objectively).