General Confederation of Labour (France)

The General Confederation of Labour (, , CGT) is a national trade union center, founded in 1895 in the city of Limoges. It is the first of the five major French confederations of trade unions.

It is the largest in terms of votes in the Labour Court elections (34.0% in the 2008 election), and second largest in terms of membership numbers.

Its membership decreased to 650,000 members in 1995–1996 (it had more than doubled when François Mitterrand was elected president in 1981), before increasing today to between 700,000 and 720,000 members, slightly fewer than the Confédération Française Démocratique du Travail (CFDT).Numbers given by Michel Dreyfus, author of Histoire de la C.G.T., Ed. Complexes, 1999, interviewed in Pascal Riché, En prônant la négociation, la CGT "peut faire bouger le syndicalisme", Rue 89, 21 November 2007

According to the historian M. Dreyfus, the direction of the CGT is slowly evolving, since the 1990s, during which it cut all organic links with the French Communist Party (PCF), in favour of a more moderate stance. The CGT is concentrating its attention, in particular since the 1995 general strikes, to trade-unionism in the private sector.

History The CGT was founded in 1895 in Limoges from the merger of the Fédération des bourses du travail (Federation of Labour Councils) and the Fédération nationale des syndicats (National Federation of Trade Unions). Auguste Keufer was amongst the founders and became the first treasurer.

At the end of Henri Krasucki's term (1982–1992), he began to distance himself from the French Communist Party (PCF).Pascal Riché, En prônant la négociation, la CGT "peut faire bouger le syndicalisme", Rue 89, 21 November 2007 His successor, Louis Viannet, did the same, going as far as resigning from the political bureau of the party.

CGT General Secretary Phillipe Martinez announced that the union will support the week of climate action beginning on 20 September 2019.La CGT prépare deux journées d'action à la rentrée autour de l'urgence climatique, https://mobile.francetvinfo.fr/economie/syndicats/la-cgt-prepare-deux-journees-d-action-a-la-rentree-autour-de-l-urgence-climatique_3538113.amp Article in FranceInfo

In 2023, the CGT was involved in the interunion social movement against pension reform which organized strikes and protests in 300 towns across France, and wrote to Emmanuel Macron requesting negotiations, then, having not been received, mediation and a suspension of the 2023 French pension reform bill.

On 18 June 2024, the CGT called for a vote for the New Popular Front (NFP) in the 2024 French legislative elections. with the CGT General Secretary Sophie Binet also personally endorsing the NFP. Céline Verzeletti, a senior CGT member and General Secretary of the Federal Union of State Trade Unions, was nominated by the NFP for Paris's 15th constituency. The decision to endorse the NFP presented a turning point, since while the CGT has regularly called for a vote against the far right, in recent decades it has not called for people to vote for any specific party or bloc, due in part to the CGT's Amiens Charter — which recognizes the independence of trade unions from political parties.

Africa In 1937 CGT began organizing workers in French West Africa. The union's functioning was interrupted by its banning by the Vichy regime, but in 1943-1948 a process of reconstruction took place. The main centers of activity were Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo and the French Soudan. CGT had an upper hand in the Muslim regions in comparison to the rival French Confederation of Christian Workers, who depended on the presence of Catholic communities for its recruitment. CGT emerged as the major trade union force amongst the 100 000 strong organized labour force in Senegal and Mauritania after the Second World War.Fall, Mar. L'État et la Question Syndicale au Sénégal. Paris: Éditions L'Harmattan, 1989. p. 24, 27

Within the CGT branches in the region, there was however a growing wish for independence. A leader of CGT in French West Africa, Bassirou Guèye, promoted this idea. At a meeting of the Territorial Union of Trade Unions in Senegal and Mauritania, held in Dakar 11 November – 12 November 1955, the majority of delegates voted for separation from the French CGT. A conference was held in Saint-Louis on 14 January – 15 January 1956 which formed the Confédération générale des travailleurs africains (CGTA), separating the parts of the West African CGT organizations from the French CGT. At the conference 50 out of 67 delegates had voted for separation.Fall, Mar. L'État et la Question Syndicale au Sénégal. Paris: Éditions L'Harmattan, 1989. p. 31–32

In Togo, CGT had 45,100 members in 1948 (65% of organized labour). By 1952 the number had decreased to 34,000 (46% of organized labour).Fall, Mar. L'État et la Question Syndicale au Sénégal. Paris: Éditions L'Harmattan, 1989. p. 44

CGT formed a branch in Madagascar in 1936.Busky, Donald F.. Communism in history and theory. Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 2002. p. 128

Publications The CGT has two publications La Vie Ouvrière, and .

Affiliated organisations Federations Affiliate Abbreviation Founded Membership (2019) Banking and Insurance Staff Unions Federation FSBPA Commerce, Services and Distribution Federation 1973 44,980 Federation of Education, Research and Culture FERC 1948 25,258 Federation of Employees in the Postal and Telecommunications Sector FAPT 1919 49,346 Federation of Design Studios FSE 1980 Federation of Workers in the Book, Paper and Communication Industries FILPAC 1982 Finance Federation Finances 1930 General Federation of National Police Trade Unions 1946 Health and Social Protection Federation Santé 1979 74,725 Merchant Marine Officers' Federation FOMM Metalworkers' Federation FTM 1909 62,131 National Federation of Agri-Food and Forestry FNAF 1981 22,701 National Federation of Chemical Industries FNIC 1907 24,814 National Federation of Construction, Wood and Furniture Employees FNSCBA 2011 National Federation of Entertainment, Cinema, Audiovisual and Cultural Action Unions FNSAC 1902 National Federation of Equipment and the Environment FNEE 1973 National Federation of Glass and Ceramic Workers National Federation of Maritime Unions FNSM 1905 National Federation of Mines and Energy FNME 1999 58,064 National Federation of Ports and Docks 1901 National Federation of Staff of Social Organisations Orgasociaux National Federation of State Workers FNTE 1922 National Union of Journalists SNJ 1918 Public Services Federation 1903 80,717 Railway Workers' Federation Cheminots 1917 42,640 Temporary Staff Union USI 1968 Textile, Clothing, Leather and Laundry Federation THCB 1985 Transport Federation FNST 1902 36,432

Other affiliates Federal Union of State Trade Unions (UFSE-CGT) General Union of Engineers, Managers and Technicians CGT (UGICT-CGT) Confederation of CGT retirees' union (UCR-CGT) Young CGT National Committee for the Fight and Defense of the Unemployed

Former federations Affiliate Abbreviation Founded Reason not affiliated Year Membership (1937) Membership (1946) Air, War and Navy Federation 16,000 15,000 Bridge and Road Engineers' Federation Clothing Federation 1892 Merged into THCB 1985 110,000 74,000 Commercial Travellers' Federation 6,000 20,000 Coopers' Federation 18,000 18,000 Designers' and Technicians' Federation Dissolved 1945 79,000 N/A Federation of Employees FEC 1893 Joined FO 1947 285,000 200,000 Federation of Workers in the Wood, Furniture and Allied Industries Merged into FNSCBA 2011 French Federation of Book Workers FFTL 1881 Merged into FILPAC 1982 60,000 55,000 General Administration Federation 23,000 ? Glass Federation 30,000 23,000 Hairdressers' Federation 22,000 20,000 Hatters' Federation 10,000 10,000 Jewellers', Goldsmiths' and Watchmakers' Federation 12,000 8,000 National Education Federation Became independent 1947 101,000 150,000 National Federation of Agricultural Workers FNTA 1920 Merged into FNAF 1981 156,000 290,000 National Federation of Ceramic, Faience, Pottery and Kindred Industries 36,000 20,000 National Federation of Construction Workers FNTC 1920 Merged into FNSCBA 2011 540,000 700,000 National Federation of Energy FNE 1905 Merged into FNME 1999 80,000 105,000 National Federation of Food, Hotels, Cafes and Restaurants Merged into FNAF 1981 300,000 300,000 National Federation of Hides and Leather 1893 Merged into THCB 1985 88,000 86,000 National Federation of Miners FNTSS 1883 Merged into FNME 1999 270,000 287,000 National Federation of Paper and Cardboard Merged into FILPAC 1982 72,000 40,000 National Federation of Textile Industry Workers 1891 Merged into THCB 1985 360,000 270,000 Pharmaceutical Federation 47,000 19,000 Tobacco and Matchworkers' Federation 1948 Merged into FNAF 2008 14,000 12,000 Wood Federation

Leadership General Secretaries Year Secretary 1895 1898 Maurice Copigneaux 1900 1901 1901 Victor Griffuelhes 1909 1909 Léon Jouhaux 1945 Benoît Frachon and Léon Jouhaux 1948 Benoît Frachon and Alain Le Léap 1957 Benoît Frachon 1967 Georges Séguy 1982 Henri Krasucki 1992 Louis Viannet 1999 Bernard Thibault 2013 2015 Philippe Martinez 2023 Sophie Binet

General Confederation of Labour (France)

Bron en licentie