Workers' Front of Catalonia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Workers' Front of Catalonia (in Catalan: Front Obrer de Catalunya, FOC - foc means "fire" in Catalan) was a clandestine political movement in Catalonia, Spain, formed in 1961, and active during the Spanish dictatorship of Francisco Franco. It was the continuation of the Popular Democratic Association of Catalonia (Associació Democràtica Popular de Catalunya), one created by university students inspired by liberation theology and the Cuban revolution.

FOC challenged the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC) over control of the growing Workers' Commissions (CC.OO). FOC established a hold over the Metalworkers' union, and thus had a lot of influence over the Barcelona Workers' Commission for a brief moment.

It aligned itself with the Popular Liberation Front (FLP) and the Euskadiko Sozialisten Batasuna (ESB). FOC published Revolució (1961-1962), Presencia Obrera (1964-1965) and Poder Obrero (1969). The party dissolved in 1970.

Pasqual Maragall i Mira, ancient head of government of Catalonia, was a leading member of FOC. Other leaders of FOC were Isidre Molas, Alfons-Carles Comín, González Casanova and Miquel Roca.