revendication

a request from one dissatisfied group aimed at "the powers that be".
often combined with a little strike and put forward on a little social platter as an entré (starter)
the main course consists of negotiation, more striking, huffing and puffing
the cheese course is negotiation failure
the dessert is not usually taken, as everyone knows that all the interesting bits come before
the coffee is bitter
then everyone goes away, sleeps a bit, then comes back for more.

i imagine this is how it's happened for quite some time, as there's a whole glossary of terms you need to know and little customs you need to follow in order to integrate the process and "feel f'nch"