A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #363 - Trade Unionism - Union Audience: Struggle-Based Unionism Frozen (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Every four years, the High Council for Social Dialogue compiles all 
elections to Social and Economic Committees (CSE) and elections in Very 
Small Enterprises (VSEs). This helps define the audience of each trade 
union organization in the private sector. It also provides an 
opportunity to analyze the current dynamics in the trade union 
landscape. With the close of the 2021-2024 cycle, we can draw some 
observations. ---- Traditional confederations, whether striving for 
struggle like the CGT or supporting ones like the CFDT and FO, are in 
decline while maintaining their respective positions: CFDT in the lead, 
CGT then FO. However, it should be noted that the CFDT, which had tended 
to gain ground in previous elections, is now in decline. Among the 
winners, the fighting unions Solidaires are making slight gains, but it 
is indeed corporatist unionism that is gaining ground, whether it be 
categorical with the CFE-CGC (+1.03 points) or autonomous with the UNSA 
(+0.46 points).

While the CFE-CGC's growth is partly explained by the increase in the 
proportion of engineers and managers in the workforce[1], fighting 
unionism cannot be satisfied with its declining influence within our 
class. The CGT (General Confederation of Trade Unions) clearly analyzes 
the reasons for its electoral decline in its press release. It is 
suffering from the relative decline of the number one constituency of 
workers and employees, the decline of the industry sector, which 
includes its main strongholds, and the subcontracting imposed by the 
large groups where it is well established.

But beyond these observations, the union organization is struggling to 
change its structure to meet these challenges. We will be closely 
monitoring the debates at the next CGT congress in 2026 and welcome the 
progress made, for example, by the Paris Departmental Union, which is 
taking a stand for the creation of local professional unions uniting all 
workers in a given sector within a given territory rather than dividing 
them among companies. However, a large proportion of CGT structures 
remain stuck on the company union model, which no longer corresponds to 
the current organization of the economy.

Yet, since 2009, the same analyses have been produced and lead to the 
same conclusions. Action must now be taken, federal unionization fields 
must be redefining, the interprofessional level must be strengthened, 
and, above all, fragmented employees in companies without established 
unions must be truly organized within local sectoral unions[2].

Solidaires' communications also demonstrate clear-sightedness. While the 
organization welcomes its slight progress, it recognizes the magnitude 
of the work that remains to be done to become a representative 
organization at the interprofessional level. With only a 3.75% audience 
share after more than 25 years of existence, the 8% threshold seems 
impossible to achieve, even in the long term. Looking at the breakdown 
of representation by sector, we see that Solidaires remains an 
organization focused on a few bastions of the public or privatized 
public sector, such as the PTT (Postal and Telecommunications Service).

However, this observation does not yet allow for the necessary debate on 
the union tool, much less on the unification of militant unionism[3]. 
However, given Solidaires' weakness in almost the entire private sector, 
unification is more urgent than ever to exert influence in future 
struggles. For both the CGT and Solidaires, it is regrettable that the 
relevance of the analyses does not currently allow for rapid progress on 
their respective developments.

We encourage all union activists to assess the challenges that need to 
be addressed within their organizations and to initiate discussions 
within their unions, federations, and local and departmental unions. The 
UCL, true to its revolutionary syndicalist orientation, is available to 
offer avenues for union members who would like to explore these issues 
further.

Émile (UCL Grenoble)

Confirm

[1]The proportion of engineers and managers increased from 15% in 2009 
to 21% in 2021.

[2]See also "Evolution of the CGT's structures: the report of the ad hoc 
committee" on Syndicalistes.org.

[3]See also "Unionism: Unify to Fight Better," Alternative libertaire 
No. 359, April 2025, 
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Syndicalisme-Unifier-pour-mieux-lutter

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Audience-syndicale-Le-syndicalisme-de-lutte-fige
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