WORLD WORLDWIDE FRANCE News Journal Update - (en) France, UCL AL #339 - Trade unionism, Le Teil (Ardèche): Commemorating the commitment of the Serret couple (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 Gilbert and France Serret, better known by the affectionate nickname of "Les

Serret", have devoted their careers as teachers to the south of the Ardèche.
Gilbert led the CGTU Education Federation, while France played a key role in the
creation of its feminist groups, and campaigned for an alternative pedagogy. An
inter-union colloquium will commemorate their militant commitment. ---- On the
occasion of the 80th anniversary of the disappearance of Gilbert Serret[1], the
IHS-CGT and the FSU of the Ardèche are organizing a great popular day in the town
of Teil (Ardèche) on July 8th . ---- The day will begin with a visit to the White
City of Lafarge in Teil, making the link with the working world of Teil, from the
major local strikes and the construction of the local Union CGT. In the
afternoon, a symposium entitled "France and Gilbert: trade unionism to change the
world" will be held, which will address the relationship between combative trade
unionism and the labor movement, as well as the many facets of their activism. A
public meeting on the life of Gilbert Serret as an Ardèche pedagogue, trade
unionist and revolutionary will close this memorable day.

This symposium, the result of close collaboration between the FSU and the CGT,
testifies to their common commitment, as in the battle for pensions. It aims to
commemorate the tragic death of Gilbert Serret and to highlight the importance of
anchoring teacher unionism in the labor movement.

Trade union independence, internationalism
Deeply committed in favor of the working world, Gilbert Serret was above all a
trade unionist, refusing that the CGTU be the transmission belt of the PCF,
leading this fight with the entire management of the Federation of Education to
oppose to its liquidation. Support for local strikes in Ardèche, involvement in
the local Union CGT du Teil, construction of union structures for his Federation,
he was on the front line. But the local militant anchoring of the Serret couple
was also done in connection with all the anti-fascist, anti-colonial and pacifist
fights of the interwar period.

This memorial day dedicated to the Serrets is of great importance. It highlights
the fact that revolutionary trade unionists and dissident voices were erased from
history by the overwhelming majority of the PCF at the Liberation.

Everything has been done and attempted to make invisible and erase from the
collective memory all the activists who dared to criticize the PCF and its links
with the union, or even the Soviet Union. He was even summoned, along with
others, to Moscow by the Red Trade Union International, which let them know on
the way that it no longer wanted to receive them.

It is essential to remember that our revolutionary unionist Ardèche teachers have
shaped education, playing a key role in the trade union and social movement in
Ardèche. Gilbert Serret himself was mandated twice to represent the trade union
movement at confederal congresses, delivering landmark speeches in favor of trade
union independence and democracy. His speeches remain a reference for all trade
unionists.

Today, it is crucial to rebuild this memory, making it accessible to everyone, to
maintain the sense of commitment of these activists within our daily union
practices and our organizations.

LG (union activist in Ardèche)

To validate

[1]Read: France Serret, Gilbert Serret, Le Maitron

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Le-Teil-Ardeche-Commemorer-l-engagement-du-couple-Serret
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