The world Trade union federation is international a trade-union founded with London in 1945. Its seat is now with Athens. After having been international trade-union the most important, it is now marginalized compared to the international Trade-union confederation.

History

International trade unionism during the Second world war

Following the dissolution of the trade-union International red in 1937, and disappearance of the central trade-unions of the countries of the Axis, two international remaining, the international Trade union federation and the international Confédération of the Christian trade unions are in the camps of the Alliés. Moreover, their directions are all the two refugees with London. But, the union action passes then from advantage by bilateral meetings. Thus, the trade-union Commission anglo-Soviet sets up after the invasion of the Soviet Union by the Germans.

Towards the FSM

In November 1943, the Trade Union Congress lance the idea of a world trade-union conference in front of meeting in 1945. The American and Soviet trade unions unite with this call. The Conference of London meets from February 6th to 17th 1945, it gathers 55 trade-union organizations. She asks for the demilitarization of the Germany and the Japan, the association of the trade unions to the payment of Peace, and the creation of a United Nations. Lastly, she convenes a second conference with Paris having for goal to prepare the world Trade union federation .

The Congress of Paris (3 October 8th, 1945)

The Congress held in Paris from October 3rd to 8th 1945 sees to clash three tendencies, a close relation of Soviet, strongly an anticommunist and regretting the international Trade union federation, and finally, a center tendency whose two pillars are the French CGT, and American CIO. CISC refuses to adhere to defend the trade-union pluralism to which it is attached, and AFL is not member either. In spite of the Communist weight of the S, it is the former president of the international Trade union federation, Walter Citrine which become the first president of the FSM, the member of the C.G.T. Louis Saillant becomes the general secretary.

First tensions

In spite of the dynamism of the trade-union organizations to leaving the war, the FSM knows some disappointments. First of all, it is not associated with the level that it wished it with the creation of the United Nations, then AFL by mistrust towards the Soviet S push the international professional Sécrétariats not to be adhered to the FSM, finally CISC remains outwards, preventing the FSM from representing the whole of the employees. Moreover, the Social democrat and the defenders of trade-union autonomy are obstructed more and more by the control growing of the Communiste S on the apparatus of the FSM.

The Marshall plan and the scission

At the time of the advertisement of the Marshall plan on June 5th, 1947, the organizations of the FSM are divided between those which refuses it categorically (Soviet trade unions and Communists) and those which accept it (North-American, British, Scandinavian trade unions). In March 1948, AFL convenes with London a conference of the trade-union organizations partisanes of the Marshall plan, which they are or non-member of the FSM. In fact the unit lived. In January 1949, the British TUC requires the suspension of the activities of the FSM taking into account the situation. As this one is not decided by the congress which is held in July of this same year, it leaves the federation, follow-up of the American CIO and the Dutch trade unions. In December 1949, they found the international Confédération of the free trade unions. At the national level, certain confederations will know scissions, as the General confederation of work in France (the opponents with the Communists will form the General confederation of work - Working force) or in Italy (scissions of the Italian General confederation of work in 1948 and 1949).

International dominated by the Communists

Starting from this date, the seizure of the Communists on the FSM is complete, and its orientations completely follow the instructions given by the Soviet . It is still reinforced in 1951, when the French government expels the FSM of its Parisian seat, and that it settles with Prague. The life of the FSM followed the Soviet meanders of the diplomacy then, with the expulsion of the trade unions Yougoslave S in 1950, or of the trade unions Chinese and Albanian in 1966. However certain adherent power stations, and particularly the French CGT and Italian CGIL call with a restoration of the FSM as from the Sixties. Thus, in 1968, Louis Saillant condemns the invasion of the Czechoslovakia by the Soviet troops.

A difficult restoration, but a considerable influence

The French CGT and Italian CGIL were the principal members in Western Europe, and also those which push more the FSM has to be detached from the Soviet influence. But in 1975, CGT leaves the direction, whereas CGIL is disaffiliated to join soon the European Confédération of the trade unions. So contrary to its two rivals (CISL and CMT), the FSM does not have regional organizations, nor from international professional Secretariats, it profits from a great influence, sitting in several authorities of the United Nations and gathering Congresses increasingly more. In 1987, the FSM asserted 214 million members in 94 countries.

An inexorable decline after the fall of the USSR

At the time of the congress of Moscow in 1990, the Soviet trade unions make vote a change of status which makes disappear the reference to the class struggle, and the regional installation of bureaus. It also tries to approach CISL, but its decline seems inexorable. It is given up by the trade unions of the old countries under Soviet domination, CGT is disaffiliated in 1995. The FSM must move its seat of Prague to Athens.

Today

The FSM asserted 100 million in 1994 (Congress of Damas), but these figures are probably very above reality. The current leaders of the FSM, elected officials at the time of XVe Congress, held with Havana in December 2005, are the Syrian Mohammad Shaban Assouz (trade union GFTU) who is the president and the Greek George Mavrikos (trade union PAME), who is general secretary.

In France, the SNESup-FSU which was the last member of the FSM decided to be disaffiliated in 2007 to support the step of affiliation of the Unit Trade union federation (FSU) with the news international Trade-union confederation (CSI). It does not remain any more, like " antenne" FSM that very minority of militants or old groups of CGT or FSU close relations of the communist mediums most orthodoxe, as well as structures of CGT, the agroalimentary and forest National federation CGT (FNAF).

See too

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