Angel Bosqued is the Secretary for International Relations of the Central Iberian
anarcho-syndicalist, the Confederaci?n General del Trabajo (CGT [ 2 ]). Holding her
Confederal Congress in October 2013 was an opportunity to take stock of what is, by far,
the organization claiming the most significant international libertarian ideals. ----
Libertarian Alternative: What is the development of the CGT? ---- Angel Bosqued: Since
1989, the CGT is progressing slowly but steadily, not only in membership but also
territorial and sectoral offices. We have over 60,000 affiliated es stable and flying
about 10,000 who contribute very unevenly due to the economic context. Metallurgy and
transport is the backbone of the CGT, but we know a clear development in the areas of
public administration and health and maintain our presence in the banking sector. In
education, but also computers, Trade and cleaning as we note a clear trend. In chemistry
and agriculture our implementation remains limited.
Importantly, we see the arrival of a new generation of activists, of thirty-es from social
movements, which brings with it the enthusiasm of different perspectives and innovative
control methods.
How to characterize the current social and political situation in the Spanish state?
The Popular Party (PP) government and a majority in Parliament. During his early years in
power he has put all its weight to impose all economic and legal measures to increase the
cuts in wages and loss of social rights. The PP has all employee-es knees with minimal
rights. This has created a lot of fear and resignation, especially among those over 50
years who fear more than anyone a job loss or in those under 25 who live in extreme poverty.
Once this offensive of capital carried out, apart from pensions which at present have not
yet been affected, we are faced-es to a new phase: the suppression of movement, the
questioning of social rights ( abortion, strikes, demonstrations, freedom of expression).
As was previously destroyed all the coming years characterized by new elections will give
way to "gifts" to the middle class: lower taxes, lift the wage freeze, back to the 13th
month among officials.
What are the answers of the Spanish trade union movement?
The majority unions [ 1 ] accompanied, of sitting around the negotiating tables, these
antisocial measures by refusing to create the basis for a direct confrontation.
Accordingly, it is difficult to work with them, even if locally can be made ??to do things
together. Many people now realize the harmful effect of these unions have in fact lost
their centrality within the labor movement. But they continue to be regarded as essential
"social partners".
With the Basque unionism, things have calmed down since the truce declared by ETA weapons.
Nevertheless, in our view, Basque nationalism continues to prioritize the national
question to the social rights, which sometimes makes complicated unity of action. With
other organizations and social movements, convergences have been frequent in recent years,
and although we are not able to create a permanent and stable unitary structure, we
conduct locally and nationally many campaigns together.
Outside the CGT, what is the reality of the libertarian movement in the Spanish State today?
There is a great wealth of small groups and organizations that claim to be libertarian,
very active movement and spread throughout the territory. Weakness results, however, the
fact that their activity based on ideological affinities and some form of purism, they
have difficulties persist and especially to take root. On the other hand, it is undeniable
that libertarian thought, in general, is very common in everyday life, in relationships
between people as well as proposals and practices of many organizations.
What are the priorities of the CGT on the international level?
CGT supports any struggle of a people fighting for its independence. We appeal to the
spirit of our ancestors who fought for a free federation of individuals and communities.
In this, our support for the Palestinian people, but also Saharawi or Kurdish, faced
constant repression of a colonizing state, is natural. Quite different is the theme of the
Zapatistas who based his fight on the desire of the original peoples to be treated with
dignity but also a clear desire to build a society on horizontal bases with an egalitarian
requirement.
The CGT congress also confirmed involvement in various international union networks?
The CGT has always been links with the anarcho-syndicalist and libertarian movement's
priority. In this regard, our preferred partners remain the IWW, SAC (Sweden), SEA
(Greece), IP (Poland), the f-CNT and CNT-SO (France), FAG (Brazil), FAU (Uruguay) , ICU
and Unicobas (Italy). We created several years ago a red and black Coordination with the
SAC, the CNT and CGT-f-e. We were joined by other organizations, and we are optimistic
about the future. Nevertheless, we must recognize past few years, a decline in the labor
component because of our local concerns, which hindered the strengthening of our common
work. I think we're beyond this inward digression on our respective realities and that
2014 will be a new step for the relaunch. Hoping that we are able ...
Moreover, it has been many years that we are working with alternative unions. Among these,
Partners with whom relations are particularly satisfactory and continuous, and the union
of basic Italian Cubs, and many unions that break with the practices affiliated with the
International Trade Union Confederation and the World Federation of Trade Unions.
International networks, while ensuring the specificity of each member organization, allow
unions that compose together to find common ground and fight together antisocial logic.
What is the relationship of the French CGT with organizations?
I spoke earlier about our relationship with the f-CNT and CNT-SO, with whom we share a
draft anti-authoritarian and libertarian society. We also have many points of convergence
with many structures of the Trade Union Solidarity.
Between AL and CGT-e, there is a constant relationship for years, but mostly through union
commitments activists AL, we should strengthen the joint work between our two
organizations as our obvious points are not sufficiently exploited. Committees with
revolutionary syndicalists with the Anarchist Federation, or some structures of the French
CGT, it is also occasionally do things on the basis of concrete struggles.
Interviewed and translated by C. Mouldi (AL Transcom) & Jeremiah (AL Gard)
[ 1 ] Workers 'Commissions and General Workers' Union, the most collaborators, for
example, the CFDT practices.
[ 2 ] www.cgt.org.es . See also the monthly Confederation www.rojoynegro.info and
theoretical review and debate www.librepensamiento.org.
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