The General Union ( nl, Algemene Centrale, AC; french: La Centrale Générale, CG) is a

general union A general union is a trade union (called ''labor union'' in American English) which represents workers from all industries and companies, rather than just one organisation or a particular sector, as in a craft union or industrial union. A gene ...

representing workers in

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. The union was founded on 1 January 1921, when the Building and Wood Workers' Union merged with the

Union of Factory Workers The Union of Factory Workers (french: Union Centrale des Travailleurs de Fabrique, nl, Centrale der Fabriekwerkers) was a general union in Belgium. Various local unions of factory workers formed in Belgium around the turn of the 20th-century. In ...

. It was originally known as the General Union of Building, Furnishing and Other Industries. Several other unions merged over the next few years: the National Federation of Glass Workers in 1929, the Hairdressers' Union in 1930, and the Paviours' and Assistants' Union of Belgium in 1936. In its early years, the union focused on campaigning for an eight hour working day, and for wage increases. It also founded its own holiday camp, at Floreal. 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 opposin ...

, the union had little involvement with the

Belgian Resistance The Belgian Resistance (french: Résistance belge, nl, Belgisch verzet) collectively refers to the resistance movements opposed to the German occupation of Belgium during World War II, German occupation of Belgium during World War II. Within Be ...

, but few of its leaders actively collaborated. After the war, merged continued, with the Leather Workers' Union joining in 1953, and the

Tobacco Workers' Union The Tobacco Workers' Union (TWU) was a trade union representing workers in all areas of the tobacco industry in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1834 in London as the Friendly Society of Operative Tobacconists. Two years ...

in 1954, then the Union of Belgian Stoneworkers in 1965, the Union of Mineworkers of Belgium in 1994, and finally the

Textile-Clothing-Diamond Union The Textile-Clothing-Diamond Union ( nl, Centrale voor Textiel, Kleding en Diamant, TKD; french: Centrale du Textile, Vêtement et Diamant, TVD) was a trade union representing workers in various industries in Belgium. The union was founded in 1994, ...

in 2014. As a result, it has a highly diverse membership. In 1995, 20% of its members worked in construction, and 20% in transport, with a wide variety of sectors represented among the other 60%. The union had 123,160 members on formation, its lowest membership being 68,016 in 1928. Since 1952, it has been the largest affiliate of the

General Federation of Belgian Labour The General Labour Federation of Belgium (french: Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique, or FGTB; nl, Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond, ABVV) is a socialist national trade union federation in Belgium. It was founded in 1945. It is affiliated ...

. In 2020, it had 419.382 members.

Presidents

:1932: Emile Gryson :1946: Paul Fassin :1949:

Dore Smets Isidore Albert Maria Smets (6 June 1901 – 31 May 1976) was a Belgian trade union leader and politician. Born in Mechelen, Smets began working for the Union of Factory Workers when he was just sixteen years old, as secretary of its branch in ...

:1966: Emiel Janssens :1976:

Alfons Van Uytven Alfons Van Uytven (born 11 December 1920) is a Belgian former trade union leader. Born in Leuven, van Uytven joined the Tobacco Workers' Union (BCVT), and in 1950 was elected as its general secretary. In 1952, he was additionally elected as genera ...

:1980: André Vanden Broucke :1982: Jean De Nooze :1984: Juan Fernandez :1992: Michel Nollet :1992: Hans Raes :1998: Maurice Corbisier :2006: Alain Clauwaert :2015: Paul Lootens :2015: Werner Van Heetvelde

References

{{Authority control Trade unions in Belgium General unions Trade unions established in 1921 1921 establishments in Belgium