General Labour Confederation of Belgium
The General Labour Confederation of Belgium (Dutch: Belgisch Vakverbond, BVV; French: Confédération Générale du Travail de Belgique, CGTB) was a socialist national trade union federation in Belgium active between 1937 and 1944 when it was superseded by the General Labour Federation of Belgium.
History
The federation was established on 5 December 1937, as a replacement for the Trade Union Commission. It was more centralised than its predecessor, and was not formally linked with the Belgian Labour Party.[1] By 1939, it had about 540,000 members, making it the largest trade union federation in the country.[2]
After 1940, it briefly operated under the German occupation, with new leadership who disavowed class struggle, but was banned completely later in the year.[1]
Much of the trade union movement took part in the Belgian Resistance. Some tried to operate underground, while some leaders formed the Belgian Trade Union Centre in London. On 29 April 1945, with the occupation ended, the BVV was officially merged with the communist Belgian Federation of Unity Syndicates and the Unified Trade Unions, to form the General Labour Federation of Belgium.[1]
Affiliates
| Union[1] | Flemish abbreviation | French abbreviation | Membership (1937)[3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgian Union of Tramway and Municipal Transport Workers | CBPT | BCTBAP | 12,600 |
| Belgian Typographical Federation | BTF | FTB | 5,356 |
| Belgian Union of Transport Workers | UTB | BTB | 29,000 |
| Central Union of Public Service Workers | COD | 16,225 | |
| General Diamond Workers' Association of Belgium | ADB | 12,602 | |
| General Union | CG | AC | 120,732 |
| General Union of Employees, Warehousemen, Technicians and Travelling Salesmen of Belgium | SETCa | BBTK | 15,806 |
| Leather Workers' Union | 7,910 | ||
| National Federation of Jewellery and Related Trades | 438 | ||
| National Food Federation | HORVAL | HORVAL | 8,325 |
| National Union of Civil Defence Staff | 2,489 | ||
| National Union of Rail, Post, Telegraph, Telephone, Marine and Aviation Workers | IJPTTZL | ChPTTMA | 41,310 |
| Tobacco Workers' Union | 4,500 | ||
| Socialist Union of Education Workers | CSOP | 5,400 | |
| Union of Agents in North Belgium | 3,732 | ||
| Union of Agricultural Operations Staff | 492 | ||
| Union of Belgian Stoneworkers | COPB | 20,830 | |
| Union of Belgian Textile Workers | COTB | TACB | 65,204 |
| Union of Bookworkers of Belgium | CSB | 4,233 | |
| Union of Clothing Workers and Kindred Trades in Belgium | CKAVB | CVPS | 3,349 |
| Union of Doctors | 120 | ||
| Union of Hatters | 600 | ||
| Union of Merchant Navy Officers | 900 | ||
| Union of Mineworkers of Belgium | CSTMB | NCMB | 46,701 |
| Union of Socialist Journalists | 100 | ||
| Union of the Belgian Metal Industry | CMB | CMB | 116,465 |
Leadership
Presidents
- 1937: Edward De Vlamynck
- 1940: Joseph Bondas
General Secretaries
- 1937: Joseph Bondas
- 1939: Joseph Bondas and Jef Rens
- 1940: Jef Rens
References
- "BELGISCH VAKVERBOND / CONFÉDÉRATION GÉNÉRALE DU TRAVAIL DE BELGIQUE (1938-1945)". ODIS. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- Witte, Els; Craeybeckx, Jan; Meynen, Alain (2009). Political History of Belgium From 1830 Onwards. ASP. p. 166. ISBN 9789054875178.
- Vandaele, Kurt (2002). "Begeesterd door de telduivel". Brood & Rozen (1): 34.