Forum. The unions are not in the best shape. And this is not good news neither for the workers nor for business, nor even for the good functioning of democracy. All are in need of representatives – or people – strong, recognized, and responsible. However, this is not really the case.
The trade unionism in French is different from most syndicalismes europeans : fewer members, less financial independence, more divisions. This situation is due, in part, to its origins and its evolution in time. The SGC a long time, the main trade union, is built in a choice, at the time of independence from the political parties and the transformation of society. Accede to it, was an act reflecting a desire for rupture with the state of things existing, to the difference of trade unionism, ” christian “, more reformist, more open to negotiation, but at that time much less powerful.
In addition, services provided to employees who, in other countries, have played a major role in the accession to the trade unions, in France, developed outside organisations, e.g. mutual funds or unemployment insurance. The divisions that traditionally weaken the trade union movement the French are also the result of history : creation of the FO, after the war, in opposition to the influence of communist on the CGT then, the de-christianization of the CFTC in 1964 leading to the creation of the CFDT by the majority, with a minority remaining grouped in the ” CFTC maintained “. The CFE-CGC is the result of a phenomenon that is very French : the specificity recognised trade union for managers and supervisors.
What trade unionism, with lower rates of unionization and more divided than elsewhere, has played a large role in the social life of our country : the creation of regimes in the joint agreements, national inter-professional preparing the laws in the areas of employment, training or representativeness ;…
