International Confederation of the free trade unions

The international Confédération of the free trade unions was a founded international European Public Service Union the December 7th 1949 by trade unions in rupture with the world Trade union federation dominated by the Communists. She asserted 225 members in 148 countries. The CISL is dissolved at the time of its congress of October 31st, 2006 to allow the integration of its members within the news international Trade-union confederation . Its seat, divided with the European Confédération of the trade unions was with the international trade-union Maison with Brussels.

History

Tensions within the world Trade union federation

As of the advertisement of the Marshall plan in 1947, the tensions which existed between the Communiste S, supported by the Soviet S, and the other currents which existed within the world Trade union federation appear at the great day. In March 1948, the AFL and its representative in Europe, Irwing Brown, organizes a conference with London organizations supporting the Marshall plan, gathering as well organizations belonging to the FSM as of the organizations without affiliations. The 25- June 26th, 1949, the Conference of Geneva gathers 30 countries, and the international Confédération of the Christian trade unions is present like observant. The anticommunism dominates the debates then. During all the year 1949, the principal power stations not-Communists gives up the FSM.

The Foundation of the international Confederation of the free trade unions

it is finally with the Congress of London (November 28th - December 9th, 1949) that creates for itself the international Confédération of the free trade unions . It gathers organizations of 53 countries, and more than 48 million trade unionists. With the platform, Irwing Brown designates the priority enemy: “Soviet totalitarianism”, but the social democrat minority , brought by Leon Jouhaux of French CGT-FO, Walter Reuther of American CIO, and Hans Böckler of DGB German request that all the dictatorships are condemned, and that the market is not the only engine of the economy. The final resolution takes account of these remarks.

An anticommunism of combat

In spite of the presence of a social democrat minority, it is an obsessional anticommunism which dominates the CISL during the first ten years of its existence. Supported financially by AFL, and directed in writing pad by Irwing Brown it develops a strategy any azimuth to make part with the trade unions Communiste S or being able to rock on their side. It gives its support for the European Coal and Steel Community and push its organizations to be taken part in the process (it is the origin of the European Confédération of the trade unions), and it creates regional organizations to be able to fight closest to the ground (ORIT in America, ORAF in Africa and ORAP for the Asia and the Pacifique).

The reorientation towards the trade unionism

As from the Sixties, the German, English and Scandinavian trade unions take a more important weight within the CISL and denounces its absence of really trade-union activity. They ask in particular that she condemn also the friendly dictatorships of the the United States where the trade union rights are ridiculed. Moreover, they develop bonds with communist trade unions with an aim of promoting the interests of the workers, across ideological cleavages. This growing influence of the Sociaux-démocrates within the CISL makes that AFL (reunified in 1955 with CIO) leaves the CISL in 1969.

The bringing together with the world Confederation of work

In the years 1970, the influence of the social democrat trade unions, and the entry of new power stations, as the democratic French Confédération of work leads the CISL to be more critical towards the American policy, and to approach the world Confédération of work. In addition growing European integration leads the two international ones to amalgamate their European organizations within the European Confédération of the trade unions, the latter which autonomise little by little receives even the adhesion of a trade union of orientation Communiste, the Italian General confederation of work. Even if AFL-CIO is absent from international authorities, contacts are maintained, and it remains very present in the regional organizations, especially American (ORIT) and Asian (ORAP).

Extension after the Cold war

In 1990, the CISL asserts 99 million trade unionists, organized in 144 power stations present in 101 countries. In 1989, AFL-CIO returned within the CISL, and pushes with its extension. It starts to extend in the old countries under Soviet supervision , in May, it is the old official power station of Czechoslovakia which requires to affiliate itself with the CISL, and the Polish trade union Solidarność is affiliated with the CISL and CMT. As of 2000, the CISL engages in a more direct collaboration with the world Confédération of the work which leads in the creative process of the news international Trade-union confederation whose congress founder takes place with Vienna, of 1st to November 3rd 2006.

See too

Internal bonds

ORIT : the American branch of the CISL

External bonds

Site of the CISL

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