Union support for social justice was reaffirmed at the Belgian General Confederation of Labour’s regional, sectoral and national congresses held in the spring of 2006. The meetings highlighted themes such as the importance of public services, the promotion of equal opportunities in the labour market, and the defence of the national social security system. Union representatives also expressed the desire to strengthen the trade union movement from a gender and an international perspective. In addition, the theme of sustainability emerged as a justification for forming links with other movements.
Regional congresses
Flemish regional section
The Flemish regional section of the socialist Belgian General Confederation of Labour (Fédération générale du travail de Belgique/Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond, FGTB/ABVV) was the first section to organise its four-yearly congress. A ‘smart’ and ‘sustainable’ economy, equal opportunities, and quality of work were the key themes of the congress, presented as an integrated reply to the ongoing complaints from employers about the high labour costs in Belgium (BE0602301N). The congress urged the employers to pay more attention to environmental and work organisation issues when developing their business innovation strategies.
Heated discussions developed in relation to the issue of implementing quotas in companies to promote the employment of groups at risk in the labour market, such as immigrants and low-skilled workers. A final resolution proposed that companies develop their own diversity management plans, with self-determined target figures for the employment of groups at risk.
An interesting resolution proposed during the congress concerned the currently close relationship of the trade union with the Flemish socialist party (Socialistische Partij – Anders, SP.A). The Flemish regional section will reevaluate its political associations before the end of the year, starting with its rank-and-file members. The union’s militants blame the party currently in government, led by Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, of not being open enough to the union’s demands, particularly in relation to the much-criticised Generation Pact (BE0602304F). It is possible that a less rigid political association might make other political parties more open to the trade union’s proposals.
Walloon regional section
The Walloon section of FGTB/ABVV defended the position of public services and emphasised the importance of a strong, federal social security system in Belgium. The trade union does not consider tax cuts as a viable solution for countering social and economic problems.
While the recent plan for economic development launched by the Walloon government was welcomed at the congress, it was hoped that the plan would be amended with a stronger social dimension. The union was also disappointed about the lack of consultation in relation to this so-called ‘Marshall Plan’ (BE0510304F).
Sectoral federations meet
Many of the sectoral federations affiliated to FGTB/ABVV also organised their four-yearly conferences in the spring of 2006, such as the Belgian Metalworkers’ Union (Centrale van de Metaalindustrie van België, CMB) (BE0605019I).
The congress of the Union of White-collar, Technical and Executive Employees (Bond der Bedienden, Technici en Kaders/Syndicat des Employés, Techniciens et Cadres, BBTK/SETCa), one of the main professional confederations within FGTB/ABVV, was extremely critical of the EU and its social policies. It highlighted how the Lisbon Strategy will lead to such outcomes as a longer working life, increased privatisation, deregulation of the labour market and service liberalisation. The union urged left-wing parties to disassociate themselves from this kind of European policy.
Meanwhile, the most important message that emerged from the congress of the General Union (Algemene Centrale/Centrale Générale, AC/CG) concerned the internal organisation of the socialist union. The congress made a strong plea to abolish the organisational division between white-collar and blue-collar members within the union. It proposed, in future, organising workers only on a sectoral basis and not on an occupational basis.
National confederation congress
Finally, FGTB/ABVV’s national congress took place. The event was a four-yearly statutory congress, which means that it was dedicated mainly to following up on previous congress resolutions and to the mid-term evaluation of current strategies. However, a range of resolutions were also voted on in relation to issues concerning the protection of public services, the legal employment protection of union representatives and the forthcoming biennial round of intersectoral bargaining. A significant increase of gross earnings was also defended.
In addition, employers were severely criticised for not introducing enough innovation and vocational training. Innovation is currently a topical issue in Belgium: in September 2006, the Central Economic Council (Conseil Central de l’Économie/Centrale raad voor het bedrijfsleven, CCE/CRB) hosted a meeting between the social partners on the Belgian system of innovation (BE0610019I). Moreover, recently announced plans to cut the paid educational leave system, funded by employers and the state, have also met with trade union anger (BE0610039I).
From a European perspective, an important development was the strong plea made by the newly elected President of FGTB/ABVV, Rudy De Leeuw, that the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) would transform itself into a mobilising international union, rather than acting as a group lobbying the European institutions (EU0306207F).
The gender issue was emphasised in relation to the confederation’s internal organisation, with FGTB/ABVV indicating that it would like more women to be involved in its governing bodies. New statutory rules have been adopted in this regard. In the short term, women will get one third of the seats in the federal governing bodies of the union. In the long term, this proportion will be increased so that seats are equally distributed between men and women.
Commentary
A social justice union can be defined as a workers’ organisation that advocates and defends an economic system aimed at enhancing equity in the labour market, income security, local sustainability and citizens’ participation. Such unions are generally critical when social rights are deteriorating and poverty is on the increase. FGTB/ABVV reaffirmed this critical position by defending the importance of good public services and of a strong social security system. A great deal of optimism is attached to the idea of a more mobilising European union movement committed to defending social justice. In this regard, the concept of sustainability was used to justify forming coalitions with other left-wing movements.
Guy Van Gyes, Higher Institute for Labour Studies (HIVA), Catholic University of Leuven