Federation of Labour Exchanges

Federation of Labour Exchanges, federation of French workers’ organizations (bourses) established in 1892. The bourse was a combination of a labour exchange (dealing with job placement), a workers’ club and cultural centre, and a central labour union. The federation advocated direct action to bring about a more equitable economic system that would emancipate workers. In 1895 Fernand Pelloutier, an anarchist and syndicalist leader, became the federation’s secretary. The FBT’s supporters included socialists as well as...