General federation of the work of Belgium

The general Federation of the work of Belgium (FGTB) (in Dutch Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond = ABVV ) of socialist tendency , is by its number of members (nearly a million two hundred and thousand), the second trade-union federation Belgian.

The FGTB is member of the international Trade-union confederation (CSI).

History

At the 19th century, vis-a-vis the difficulties of survival and with the work conditions painful and dangerous, the workers start to organize themselves, first of all by the creation of mutual aid funds for the support for the patients, unemployed and victims of industrial accidents. They then linked as trade-union organizations, by workshops, companies, trades and branches of industry. In parallel Europe sees being born the socialist movement .

Following the foundation in 1885 of the Left working Belgian (POB), is created in 1898 the trade-union Commission in charge of the coordination of the trade-union activities within the socialist pillar. The rapid growth of the trade union movement during the first decades of the 20th century will lead to creation in 1937 of the Confédération of the general work of Belgium (CGTB), which in 1945 will take its current denomination after its fusion with other trade-union organizations of left.

A central role in the history of Wallonia

The Walloon FGTB played a central role in the evolution of the Belgian State towards the federalism. In March 1950, the uncontested ledaer of the FGTB in Liege, Andre Renard, takes part in the Walloon National congress which follows closely the referendum on the return of Léopold III and gives to the Walloon movement the support trade unionists inhabitant of Li2ege. Robert Moreau showed that during the years 1950, the rallying with the federalism is the fact of the majority of the Walloon federations of the FGTB. During the strike of the winter 1960-1961, the hardest strike undoubtedly and longest of the history of working Belgium, Renard gives to the movement an orientation separatist which will be defended by the Walloon Popular movement and then taken again by the Walloon wing of the Belgian Socialist party to lead to the increasingly major reforms 1970,1980,1988,1993,1999 and 2003. It is into 1960-1961 that the Walloon claim became that of the popular masses. The Walloon FGTB, while rejecting for example any idea of scission of the Belgian social security, while making pass before all solidarity between workers, remains firmly in the line Walloon separatist outlined in 1950, then hardened throughout the events which followed the strike of 1960-1961. the FGTB for example recently joined to the signatories of the Manifeste for the Walloon culture in order to modify the " Contract of avenir" proposed a time by the Walloon Government.

Power stations

Each associate is member of a regional section or company which names its representatives attached to the regional committee and/or of the regional professional power station concerned.

The FGTB is made up of 7 professional power stations (or sectoral federations) which cover all the branches of industry:

the General Power station (CG) represents the workmen in a great number of very diversified sectors: In the green sectors (agriculture, the horticulture, forestry developments etc), industry, construction, services and the not-merchant.
the Power station of Metal (CMB) gathers the workmen of metal, the metal workings, the sector of electricity, non-ferrous, the noble metals, the iron and steel industry, of the garages, body, the merchants of metal and the assemblers, etc
the Power station of the Textile, Vêtement, Diamant brings together the workmen of the sectors of the textile, clothing, of the laundries, recovery of the rags, preparation of the flax, main tailors, industrial and artisanal production of furs, tanneries of skins, distribution companies of clothing and textile, diamond-like industry.
the Belgian Union of the Workmen of Transport (UBOT) gathers all the workers of the transport, whose sectors of the inland navigation, the ports, maritime fishing, road transport, merchant navy etc
the Power station of the Food - Horeca - Services gathers all the workmen and workers of industry and the Food Trade, the workers of Horeca and the Services.
the Trade union of the Employees, Technicians and Frameworks (SETCA) gathers all the employees, technicians and frameworks of the private sector, the teachers and the administrative employees of L `teaching free, the workers (working and employees) of the book, graphic arts and the media
the General Power station of Public services (CGSP) gathers all the categories of the personnel of the companies and public services: railroads, Posts, telecommunications, aviation, administrations federal local and regional, semi-public, public companies of social housing, trams, bus and subway, sector of gas and electricity, the teaching official and subsidized and of Culture (theaters, operas, radios and public televisions including Community, etc).

See too

External bond

Official site of the FGTB

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