French labor unions faced a significant decline in participation during the October 2 nationwide strikes and protests, with attendance figures falling sharply compared to the September 18 demonstrations. According to the CGT union, approximately 600,000 protesters participated across France, a substantial drop from the one million participants reported during the previous mobilization. Police estimates showed an even starker contrast, counting only 24,000 participants in Paris compared to 55,000 two weeks earlier.

The diminished turnout occurred despite continued union demands for the government to abandon several contested measures, including the doubling of medical deductibles, implementation of a "blank year" policy, elimination of 3,000 civil service positions, unemployment insurance reform, and maintaining the legal retirement age at 64. Union leaders had hoped to maintain pressure on the government ahead of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's upcoming policy speech and final budget decisions.

Regional participation mirrored the national trend, with dramatic declines observed across major French cities. Marseille saw numbers drop from 15,000 to 4,000 protesters, Bordeaux from 8,800 to 3,000, and Montpellier from 10,000 to 4,000 according to police sources. The education sector also showed reduced engagement, with strike participation among primary school teachers falling to 6.95% from 17.06% in September, while secondary school teacher participation dropped to 6.13%.

Union leaders offered contrasting assessments of the mobilization's impact. Sophie Binet, leading the Paris procession, emphasized the "total union unity and very strong determination of workers" and noted this marked "the first social return where there has been this level of mobilization." However, François Hommeril of CFE-CGC acknowledged the movement's limitations, stating "we see clearly that we have reached the end of a sequence" and cautioning against exhausting participants. The government's initial budget announcements regarding minimum wage increases and tax reductions, dismissed by unions as mere "sprinkling" of measures, appeared to have tempered protest momentum despite failing to address core union demands.