The Federation of Services (french: Fédération des Services) is a
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...
representing workers in a variety of industries in France, particularly office workers.
The union was founded in 1913, as the French Federation of Catholic Employees' Unions, under the presidency of
Jules Zirnheld
Henri Jules Zirnheld (9 November 1876 – 18 December 1940) was a French trade union leader.
Born in the Alsace, Zirnheld studied at the Christian Brothers' school in Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin, Paris, then became an accountant. He was enthusiast ...
. In 1919, it became a founding affiliate of the
French Confederation of Christian Workers
The French Confederation of Christian Workers (french: italic=no, Confédération française des travailleurs chrétiens; CFTC) is one of the five major French confederation of trade unions, belonging to the social Christian tradition.
It was ...
(CFTC). It was banned during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, but was re-established after the war.
In 1964, like the majority of the CFTC, it transferred to the new
French Democratic Confederation of Labour
The French Democratic Confederation of Labour (french: link=no, Confédération française démocratique du travail, CFDT) is a national trade union center, one of the five major French confederations of trade unions, led since 2012 by Laurent ...
, although a large minority around Jacques Tessier chose to remain with the CFTC.
In 1965, the union changed its name to the Federation of Services, Commerce and Credit, to better reflect the industries it covered. In 1971, it was joined by the Federation of Books, Paper and Cardboard, and became the Federation of General Services and Books. The printing industry section left again in 1983, and the union became the Federation of Services.
In 2005, the union's business services section left, to become part of the new
Communication, Consulting, Culture Federation,
while in 2007, the Federation of Clothing, Leather and Textile Industries merged in. In 2011, the insurance section left, to join the
Federation of Banks and Insurance. By 2017, the union was the second largest affiliate of the CFDT, with 81,094 members.
The union is divided into three sections:
* Trade, clothing, leather and textiles
* Hotels, tourism and catering
* Business and personnel services
General Secretaries
:1913: Charles Viennet
:1914:
Gaston Tessier
Aimé Auguste Tessier, known as Gaston Tessier (15 June 1887 – 8 August 1960) was a French trade unionist and Resistance member.
Born in Paris, Tessier attended a Christian Brothers' school. In 1905, he joined the Trade and Industry Employ ...
:1919:
:1938: Jacques Tessier
:1953:
:1956: Guy Sulter
:1967: Hubert Lesire-Ogrel
:1973:
:1984: Marguerite Bertrand
:1990:
:1990s: Rémi Jouan
:1990s: Didier Broulé
:2006: Gilles Desbordes
:2019: Olivier Guivarch
External links
*{{official website, https://services.cfdt.fr/
References
Clerical trade unions
Trade unions established in 1913
Trade unions in France