In decline, local unions can nevertheless be an essential tool for socially and
politically resisting the ongoing upheavals imposed by capital. ---- On October11 and 12, the CGT is organizing a Conference on Local Unions (UL). A big meetingwhich is part of the preparation for the confederal congress of March 2023, andwhere hundreds of comrades are expected in Montreuil. This, in a context wherethe number of active ULs has decreased at the CGT, and where the stakes are highto persuade the entire confederation of their usefulness. ---- The text that setthe objective of this Conference begins with this existential question : "What isa UL for? ". A central question, to say the least, to which we can attempt toprovide an answer. ---- A problem of resources or politics?The drop in the number of active LUs is often explained solely by the lack ofresources. However, if this lack is real, it does not come from nowhere.Admittedly, the establishment of CSEs (Social and Economic Committees) hasreduced union resources and concentrated them among fewer activists. But manyunions return delegation or discharge hours, or choose to reserve them for thecompany. This problem of resources therefore hides a political problem. Itremains to convince many comrades of the usefulness of UL.Local Unions are in fact the Unions of trade unions and trade union sections of agiven geographical area. These areas generally correspond to the employment areaaround a medium-sized city or an industrial area, or a portion of a large city.They are therefore the result of the union between several geographically closeunions. This precision is essential.For many comrades, the main objective of the UL is clear: to be a local showcasefor the CGT and to deploy our organization in the union deserts. Admittedly, ULshave gradually become legal offices with no real union objective, but they remainin the minority. As long as the legal sector remains a support to supportcollective struggles on the territory and to accompany the employees, it servesto establish the CGT. It is obvious that in view of the many union deserts, thisapproach is essential. It is carried out by certain federations, but theproximity of UL is an undeniable asset.UL is like a rock that stays in place in a rough sea. Capitalism is changing,precarious employment is multiplying, companies are being taken over, the openingup to competition is exploding public services, the increased use ofsubcontracting is destroying work collectives... The UL remains there, ready towelcome employees and give them keys to defend themselves. Both when angerexplodes in the clubs and when it comes to structuring and patiently building acounter-power to employer exploitation.But if we stick to this objective of deploying the CGT, then what is the interestfor the well-established unions to invest in the life of the UL ? A calculationcould be made to determine how much time each union owes UL. Comrades from theseunions would be designated and seconded to establish the CGT in the uniondeserts. And the trick would be played. Presence of the CGT everywhere,interprofessional links nowhere!The Local Union is like a rock that stays in place in a rough sea. Capitalism ischanging, precarious employment is multiplying, the UL remains there.A place to build class consciousnessIt is that the ambition of interprofessional trade unionism is much higher thanthe simple deployment of the CGT. The ULs are the places where comrades fromdifferent professional sectors meet to campaign together. To train, to builddemands, to lend a hand on a strike, to discuss current events, to widelydisseminate ideas of social progress and to decide on the struggles to be waged.The ULs are places where the interests of workers from different sectors are notset aside, but listened to, juxtaposed, confronted.Acting together within a UL allows us to realize the different realities of lifeof our social class. Break down the barriers between professions and trades,between active and retired, between precarious and status employees. In short, tomake social class and to become aware of it concretely. This is what makes itpossible to build broad interprofessional mobilizations.To participate in the deployment of the CGT is to admit that, even with a strongunion, alone in its box, we will not be able to do much against the projects ofcapital. Alone, neither the railway workers, nor the teachers, nor thesteelworkers, nor the hospital workers, can face the plans to destroy our socialprotection and our public services, to increase profits in the detriment ofemployees. Concretely debating the prospect of seeing the UL as a fundamentalpolitical place to make social class has important consequences.First, we realize that UL must be places of life and sociability in their ownright. It is no longer one or two comrades from each union (in the best case) whomust come to UL. But all comrades and supporters can get together there for filmscreenings, book discussions, sporting events, neighborhood parties, etc. Then,the UL is a place for creating solidarity between workers. This is the caseduring strike actions of course, but also when taking an interest in problems ofhousing, food, energy, etc.A conference, what for?This conference on the UL seems to want to restore their importance in the CGT.The stated goal is to explain to the various structures (unions, federations,departmental unions, etc.) that the ULs are an essential tool for unionstrengthening, and that for this reason they need people. This concerns inparticular the federations, which hold resources and strong political weight inthe Confederation.But if we do not advance on the social and political role of UL, we are missingan essential part of the debate. We would then be left with a guilt of thestructures, pointed out because they are too cautious to invest in UL. This mayhelp revive some. But certainly not to find again hundreds of lively and livelyULs, where union democracy is expressed, able to face the current upheavalsimposed by capital.Adele (UCL Pantin)https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Interprofessionnel-A-quoi-sert-une-union-locale_________________________________________A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C EBy, For, and About AnarchistsSend news reports to A-infos-en mailing listA-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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