European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions

CESI

Full name	European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions
Native name	Confédération Européenne des Syndicats
Founded	1990
Members	5 million
Affiliation	Independent
Key people	Romain Wolff, President Klaus Heeger, Secretary General
Office location	Brussels, Belgium
Country	Europe
Website	www.cesi.org

The European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI; French Confédération Européenne des Syndicats Indépendants, German Europäische Union der unabhängigen Gewerkschaften, Italian Confederazione Europea Sindacati Indipendenti) is a regional trade union federation representing around 5 million members of independent trade unions in Europe.

CESI represents free and independent trade unions from the private and public sectors that adhere to democratic principles and defend the respect of human rights.

CESI

Founded in 1990, CESI advocates improved employment conditions for workers in Europe and a strong social dimension in the EU.

CESI’s particular strength lies in the public sector but CESI also represents workers from private sector. Most of CESI’s affiliates are employed in the fields of central, regional and local administration, security and justice, education, training and research, healthcare, postal services and telecommunications, defence and transport.

CESI defends trade union pluralism as a core component of freedom and democracy, views non-partisanship as a guiding principle of its work, and strictly adheres to ethical fundamental principles such as integrity, fairness, incorruptibility and transparency. CESI defends a European social model based on solidarity and subsidiarity and, in its work, strives to maintain the principles of non-discrimination and gender equality. CESI promotes the further development of its own youth organisation and its inclusion in internal decision-making processes. CESI works in line with the principles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. It defends the principles and aims listed in the Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights and in the Council of Europe’s European Social Charter.

To find out more about CESI, access CESI’s statutes, basic positioning paper and activity report 2013-2016 in the resources section of CESI's website.

Composition

Governance

The current President of CESI is Romain Wolff, of the Luxemburgish Confédération Générale de la Fonction Publique. Mr Wolff was elected in December 2012 and re-elected at the CESI congress in 2016. The current Secretary General of CESI is Klaus Heeger.^[1] Mr Heeger was elected in December 2012 and re-elected in the 2006 CESI Congress.

Congress takes place once every 4 years. During the CESI Congress, the Presidium and Board are elected. The Presidium and the Board govern CESI during its four-year period. The most recent Congress took place in Brussels in December 2016. Congress also gives member organisations the opportunity to put forward motions for CESI to act upon in its 4-year mandate.

CESI is involved in advocacy work as an interest group and in social dialogue as a recognised European social partner, since 2005. In 2013, the CESI Youth was created and has been since, a voice of CESI’s young affiliates.

CESI is also composed of a Europe Academy, which is the training branch of CESI but also a point of contact for training and information on certain elements of social dialogue at the EU level. The Board consists of a President, Vice Presidents and 3 ex-officio members (the President of CESI, the Secretary General of CESI and the Treasurer of CESI).^[2]

Trade Councils

CESI is mainly composed of two Commissions and eight trade councils; Employment and social Affairs Commission (SOC); Women's Rights and Gender Equality Commission (FEMM); Central Administration and Finances Trade Council (ACF); Local and Regional Administration Trade Council (LRA); Secuity Trade Council (SEC), Justice Trade Council (JUS), Education, Training and Research Trade Council (EDUC); Health Services Trade Council (SAN); Post and Telecoms Trade Council (P&T); and the Defence Trade Council (DEF).

CESI’s internal cross-industry commissions and sectoral trade councils inform and shape CESI’s issue-specific interest representation, working in line with the general objectives set by the Congress, Board and Presidium. Commissions and trade councils usually meet once or twice per year and bring together representatives from interested member organisations. As such, they also act as fora for exchange of views, expertise and information on topical subject matters between CESI’s members and for deliberation and debate with politicians, stakeholder, academics and representatives of national and EU institutions and agencies

Member organisations

The European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions has member organisations at national and European level in the following countries:

Albania

The Union of GEneral Secondary and Profession Education (SAMPPSH), the Trade Union Federation of Education and Science of Albania (FSPAESH) and the Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania (KSSH).

Belgium

The Union Nationale des Services Publics^[3] is an independent trade union which represents workers in the federal public service in Belgium.

Croatia

The Nezavisni Sindikat Djelatnika Ministarstva Unutarnjih Poslova or the Independent Workers Union of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Croatia is an independent organisation that acts the interests of its members through subsidiaries that are present in many police bureaus across Croatia.^[4]

Denmark

The Frie Funktionærer (Independent Employees) is a trade union which represents independent workers working for a liberal, flexible and inclusive labour market.^[5]

Europe-wide

The Autonome Lokomotivführer-Gewerkschaften Europas ALE (The European Independent Train Operators Union) brings together workers from independent European trade unions and professional associations, engineers and other railway staff.^[6]

The Air Traffic Controllers` European Union Coordination (ATCEUC) aims to put forward the views of European Air Traffic Controllers in a non-political manner.^[7]

The European Federation of Public Service Employees (EUROFEDOP) comprises 55 public service trade unions in Different European countries. The main aim of Eurofedop is to promote co-operation between public service trade unions throughout Europe and represent the interests of employees of the public services to the European Union.^[8]

Union for Unity (U4U) is an organisation which brings together both unionised and non-unionised members working at the heart of the EU institutions, including civil servants, contractual agents, local agents and seconded national experts.^[9]

Finland

The Tullivirkamiesliitto- Tulljänstemannaförbundet (Customs Officials Association) represents 12 member associations, with a total of 935 individual affiliate members.^[10]

France

The Alliance Police nationale represents the national police force in France.^[11]

The Confédération Syndicale de l'Education Nationale aims is to better understood by the responsible Ministries and to maintain and develop the quality of teaching in France.^[12]

The Fédération Autonome de la Fonction Publique Territoriale is composed of trade unions at the local level or the departmental level.^[13]

Composed of officials from three civil services, the Fédération générale Autonome des Fonctionnaires is an independent trade union in France. ^[14]

The Union Fédérale des Cadres des Fonctions Publiques-CGC represents contract and statute agents, and civil servants in state, territorial and the hospital civil service in France.^[15]

Germany

The Christlicher Gewerkschaftsbund (the Christian Trade Union Federation) combines unions which class themselves as a voluntary association of workers and officials in separate and independent trade unions. The Christian Trade Union Federation of Germany is the third largest trade union federation in the Federal Republic of Germany with more than 280,000 members.^[16]

With over 1.26 million members, the dbb beamtenbund und tarifunion is a trade union for civil servants and public employees in the public and private services. The DBB is an organisation of public service and private service sector unions.^[17]

The Deutscher BundeswehrVerband (the German Armed Forces Association or the DBwV) represents the interests of approximately 200,000 affiliates in all aspects of service and social justice in the armed forces, be it active-duty soldiers, civilian members of the armed forces or supporting members.^[18]

Hungary

The Magyar Köztisztviselők, Közalkalmazottak és Közszolgálati Dolgozók Szakszervezete (the MKKSV, The Hungarian Civil Servants and Public Employees Trade Union) represents national and local administrations and economic and civil organisations financed from the national budget.^[19]

The Szakszervezetek Együttműködési Fóruma (The Forum for the Co-operation of Trade Unions or SZEF in the Hungarian abbreviation) holds Observer status within CESI. SZEF is a national trade union confederation which represents the interests of employees in the following mainy different sectors. SZEF is one of the largest union confederations of the country. B^[20]

Italy

The Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Autonomi Lavoratori or CISAL (Italian Confederation of Autonomous Unions Workers) is embedded in a framework of international relations and represents the interests and rights of workers belonging to various sectors throughout Italy.^[21]

the Confederazione autonoma dei dirigenti, quadri e direttivi della pubblica amministrazione (CONFEDIR or Independent Confederation of Executives, Supervisors, and Managers of Public Administration) represents 11 different unions throughout Italy, covering sectors including security, health and public management. CONFEDIR is the biggest trade union representing executive managers in Italy.^[22]

The Confederazione Generale dei Sindacati Autonomi dei Lavoratori or CONF.S.A.L is active in both the public sector and the private sector representing various sectors including Tax Agencies, Higher Education Institutions, Ministries,health sector, security, education sector, agriculture, the banking sector, disabled workers, freelancers, tenants, temporary workers, small entrepreneurs, migrant workers, television, the postal sector, the transport sector, fisheries and retired workers (both public and private).^[23]

Latvia

The Latvijas Ārstniecības un aprūpes darbinieku arodbiedrība or LAADA (Latvian Medical and nursing staff workers union), whose members are primarily nurses, paramedics (physician assistants), laboratory assistants, midwives, and those with nursing school education. LAADA is also a member of the Latvian Free Trade Unions, the largest Latvian non-governmental organisation.^[24]

The Latvijas valsts iestāžu, pašvaldību, uzņēmumu un finanšu darbinieku arodbiedrība or LVIPUFDA (the Latvian State Agencies, Municipalities, Businesses and Financial Officers Union) brings together around 4,000 workers and 172 professional organisations within the public sector.^[25]

Luxembourg

The Confédération Générale de la Fonction Publique or the CGFP (General Confederation of Public Service) is a concentration of professional organisations of public services. The trade union represents the interest of public service officials, public employees and other contract staff working as public servants. Comprising sixty federations and associations of the civil service, the CGFP includes a total of over 28,000 members.^[26]

The Fédération Générale de la fonction communale or the FGFC (the General Federation of Commune Services) is a union which represents professional organisations and local workers in local authorities.^[27]

The Netherlands

The origins of the CNV Publieke Zaak date back to 1903 and the railroad strikes. On January 1, 1983 three unions merged: the Dutch Christian Association of Government Employees (NCBO), the General Roman Catholic Officials Association (ARKA) and the Dutch Christian Association of nurses and Carers (NCVVV). On 20 June 2002 the name was changed again to CNV Public. This unites two elements: that the CNV is a union and that they represent workers in the public sector.^[28]

The Nederlandse Categoriale vakvereniging Financiën or the NCF (Dutch Categorical union Finance) is a trade union for employees who work for (or are now retired from) the Dutch tax authorities.^[29]

Portugal

The Associação Nacional de Professores (the National Teachers Association or the ANP) is a professional organisation which unites teachers of all levels and degrees of education and teaching (preschool education, teaching basic, secondary and higher) in the public sector and the private sector. ^[30]

The União dos Sindicatos Independentes (or USI) is an independent Trade Union Confederation. As a confederation, the USI represent various sectors throughout Portugal. ^[31]

Poland

The Wolny Związek Zawodowy "Solidarność Oświata" (the Free Trade Union "Solidarity - Education" or WZZ-SO) is an organisation representative of the education sector in Poland and is representative within the meaning of the Act on the Tripartite Commission for Socio-Economic and regional committees of social dialogue and labor law, and European law.^[32]

Romania

The Confederatia Sindicala Nationala Meridian (Meridian National Trade Union Confederation or the CSNM) was established in 1994 following the unification of two federations: the Federation of the Copper Mining Trade Unions in Romania and the Federation of the Rubber Workers Trade Unions in Romania. The CSNM represent a variety of sectors in Romania including the transport sector, light industries and public services.^[33]

Spain

The ANPE Sindicato Independiente is an organisation which unites the teaching profession in Spain. The ANPE supports teachers on an individual basis and campaigns for improvements to working conditions for the teaching profession as a whole. ^[34]

The Central Sindical Independiente y de Funcionarios (the Independent Trade Union of Employees or CSI-F) represents independent workers in the following sectors: central administration, local government,the postal sector, private enterprise, the education sector, prisons, health and universities.^[35]

The Federación de Asociaciones Sindicales (Federation of Trade Unions or FASGA) was founded in 1978 to represent the independent labour force. Currently FASGA represents workers in Medium and Large Distribution Companies, and in Insurance, Travel Agencies, Financial Institutions Credit, Telemarketing and Construction.^[36]

Switzerland

The Vereinigung der Kader des Bundes (the union of the Federal Executive or VKB) was founded in 1948 as an independent, autonomous and politically neutral association of managers.^[37]

The Zentralverband Öffentliches Personal Schweiz (the Central Association of Public Swiss Personnel or ZV) currently brings together 16 cantons and 75 municipal associations throughout the German-speaking Switzerland as an umbrella organisation. The ZV represents around 30,000 members from all functions and levels of government in the cantons and municipalities.^[38]

Turkey

Bem Bir Sen (the Association of Municipal and City Administration Employees) was established in 1994. Bem Bir Sen is the largest trade union in the public sector in Turkey.^[39]

References

• ICTUR et al.,, ed. (2005). Trade Unions of the World (6th ed.). London, UK: John Harper Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9543811-5-8. 

External links

• Official Site (in French) (in English) (in German)