Unions in Belgium resemble a sleeping giant huge: 3.5 million members and adherent, a
unionization rate of 52%. Yet they struggle to mobilize against the austerity cures. But
the libertarian communists continue to advocate it, recognizing them as a tool. ---- The
Belgian trade union landscape is structured around three confederations: the General
Federation of Labour (FGTB), the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (CSC) and the
General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (CGSLB). As in many countries of
Northern Europe, unions are highly integrated institutions. This is a real strength of the
union is also its main weakness. The state delegates much of its social unions such as the
payment of unemployment benefits. The unionization rate so this is mainly due to provision
of services.
Powerful unions but paralyzed
This institutionalization and consequent trade unions leads to a bloated bureaucracy off
the base. The bombastic verve union leaders was matched only by the emptiness of their
actions. They are currently unable to organize the resistance to austerity. This unhealthy
dependency on the state is lined with an organic link with the political parties in power
regularly: FGTB with the Socialist Party, the SCC with the centrist Christian parties and
CGSLB with center-right parties. All this contributes to a "moral" union disaffection
which increasingly difficult to mobilize despite a number of adherent and adherent increasing.
However, not everything is black. In recent years there has been a revival of union bases
determined to reclaim their union apparatus and hand it to their service, and in all the
confederations, regardless of the state and party power. Include in the Christian movement
CNE (Center of private employees, CSC), which has imposed a democratic structure and
control of permanent and permanent. Side "socialist", we can only rejoice at the battle of
railway workers and the railway Brussels FGTB who succeeded in driving the permanent
subservient to the Socialist Party (PS), which sabotaged their struggles. The center has
now become one of the most militant of the country and is relearning democracy assemblies
basis.
To the autonomy of the social movement
The task is huge and activists libertarian communists have a role to play. While part of
the Belgian libertarian environment is characterized by a desertion of the struggles on
the workplace, a fraction of the Belgian far left strives to oust the PS to take its place
as sister party of the union. It seems clear that it would only replace strings to another
pair of channels. Rather we must cultivate and strengthen the desire for autonomy and
independence that is germinating in the major unions! We need to reconnect with the
traditions of revolutionary unionism and direct action!
Gilles (Brussels AL)
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