By Dominique Mozzi The French workforce is undergoing massive change.
WORLD UNIONS A fundamental recomposition in trade unionism is taking place.
Particularly important is the new situation where women make up almost half of the workforce. Big differences of experience within this sector exist. Private industry has been the testing ground for the most extreme anti-worker anti-social "flexible working" practices.
On the other hand, massive struggles over wages and over recognition of qualifications and working conditions have taken place in the health sector and other public services where non-unionised women are in the majority.
Trade union officials caught up in their usual routines have been staggered by the size of this new radical force. Nowadays no one goes from school to the factory and automatically joins the same union as their father or brothers.
Today's school leavers are likely to spend years in unemployment or temporary jobs before getting the opportunity for a more stable employment. Trade unionist activists in industry still have to find ways of linking up with younger workers who inhabit a differ- file. ent cultural universe.
Some of the changes can be seen in the emerging debates in the major trades union fedThere has been a big discussion in the CFDT since the 1970s about "repositioning" the unions in the centre of political life. This took the form of a proposed non-communist front involving the Force Ouvriere - the weakest of the big three federations - and the anti-left National Education Federation (FEN).
It stressed the provision of "services" to members, the isolation of the Communist-led CGT and a social compromise breaking with militant traditions. direction.
The FO rejected the overture however and the FEN's turn resulted in a split to form the new Unitary Trade Union Federation (FSU) in 1993.
A parallel process operated in the CFDT itself. The ultramoderate line, authoritarian regime and resistance to mass Out of these movements mobilisation resulted in the may come a project for the birth of two radical, non-fed- reconstruction of French erated trade unions led by trades unionism. It could draw militants more in tune with the on the strengths of today's expectations of their rank and struggles, exploiting the success of the new non-confederThey are skilled in agitating ated unions, amplifying the and organising for the broadest debate among progressives on union unity in struggle. an offensive trade union stratThe problem for the CFDT egy and searching for a way to leadership was that the defeat map out a political project. of the Socialist Party was not Such a perspective could reflected in an end to social open the possibility for the struggle. Big movements in unification of trades unionism support of secular education, and those who fight for the against unemployment and for renewal of the labour moveyouth rights broke out unre- ment. stricted by the union apparatus.
In December the CGT will hold its centenary conference. Although it has always been