The IWW was invited to attend the 33rd Confederal Congress of Confédération Nationale du Travail – France (CNTf) in Angers, France, this last December. This three-day delegate meeting takes place every two years. This year around 60 sections were represented. Since I live in Paris, I was able to attend the congress on the Friday afternoon and evening and Saturday morning, Dec. 12 and Dec. 13, 2014—the part of the meeting that covered reports from officers, but I was only present for the beginning of discussions onother items.
Of the over 30 motions submitted by the CNT-f’s sections, several proposed working more closely with other radical unions, political groups and international labor networks, including the French section of the Confederación Nacionaldel Trabajo – Asociación Internacionalde los Trabajadores (CNT-AIT), the International Workers Association (IWA)internationally, the Red and Black Coordination and the IWW.
The context for both was given as the weakness of the Left in France, the creeping growth of the far-right, and the lack of a strong movement against attacks on workers’ rights and social provisions of all kinds. Based on an update I received since, no formal decision was made on those items, but I, for one, personally, would look forward to more cooperationand exchange with the CNT-f and other radical unions in Europe.
The congress passed the following statement:
In the face of austerity, the criminalization of social movements, and the extreme right, the CNT keeps up the fight!
The Confédération nationale du travail held its 33rd confederal congress in Anger, on 12, 13, and 14 December. In a fraternal atmosphere, the numerous sections present could engage in rich discussions on the processes, direction, strategy and development of the structures of the confederation in the coming two years, as well as elect a new confederal team. A new federation of work, employment and professional training will be created, as well as a confederal training institute.
The participation and the contributions of comrades from foreign organizations close to the CNT, such as the German FAU[Freie Arbeiterinnen- und Arbeiter-Union], the Swedish SAC [SverigesArbetares Centralorganisation] and the Algerian CLA [Conseil des Lycéesd’Algérie], was also an opportunity to reaffirm our solidarity and links with workers in struggle against the capitalist system across the whole world.
In a politically and socially difficult situation, dominated by austerity policies, the rise of the far-right and a weakened social and labor movement, which has to face ever stronger violence from the State as well as bosses, the CNT stands more than ever for self-organization and the communist and libertarian social transformation of our society.
The CNT invites all those who can identify with our struggle and our practice, to join us or to contact our sections, to expand our struggle against capitalist oppression.
For class struggle, self-organization,international solidarity and the emancipation of workers: the CNT, a fightingunion!
The CNT
The above statement was translated by Monika Vykoukal, who attended the Congress on behalf of the IWW. More information can be found at http://www.cnt-f.org.