The General Confederation of Labour (, CGT) was an anarcho-syndicalist trade union federation founded in Belgium in 1906.

Background The failure of the general strike of 1902 went some way to galvanising Belgian anarchists in vindication of their analysis of the limits of parliamentary democracy and reformist socialism. In the months after the general strike, the first in a series of congresses was organised in Liège by the anarchist movement. Following the conference there was a concerted effort to move away from individualism and embrace a more prefigurative approach. A prominent anarchist, Georges Thonar, penned a tract titled () calling for the creation of propaganda networks. His approach was adopted by a conference held in Charleroi in October 1904. From this conference in Charleroi several initiatives were set up including federations, a commune, and newspapers. Yet, most of these projects proved short-lived and by 1908 had ceased to function. However, a group that had formed around the anarchist Henri Fuss-Amoré's newspaper proposed the creation of a general confederation of labour through which to organise the movement in Belgium.

History As a result of the convergence around , the CGT was founded at a conference held in Brussels on 28 January 1906, with Emile Chapelier, Fuss-Amoré and Thonar in attendance, and the trade union organiser Léopold Preumont elected as Secretary General.

In 1907 a debate arose within the CGT over a tactical alliance with other independent trade unions, such as the General Diamond Workers' Association of Belgium, to form a counter-bloc to the influence of the socialist Belgian Labour Party (BWP-POB).

The CGT sought to foster links beyond Belgium, and throughout its existence, Fuss-Amoré maintained regular correspondence with Pierre Monatte of the French CGT. As a representative of the Union the former was also one of the organisers of the International Anarchist Congress of Amsterdam, which took place in 1907, at which he supported a syndicalist line.

The internal discussion to unite with other independent trade unions led to the CGT being absorbed into a new organisation named the (CSB) in April 1908. Ultimately, this effort would prove unsuccessful in challenging the dominance of the BWP-POB.

References

External links Archive of L'Action Directe