Eugénie Beeckmans
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Eugénie Beeckmans (also Eugénie-Jeanne Beeckmans) was a trade unionist and women's rights advocate. In 1913, she was appointed to the ''Conseil supérieur de l'enseignement technique'' (Higher Council of Technical Education) for the French Republic. She was one of the delegates to the
Inter-Allied Women's Conference The Inter-Allied Women's Conference (also known as the Suffragist Conference of the Allied Countries and the United States) opened in Paris on 10 February 1919. It was convened parallel to the Paris Peace Conference to introduce women's issue ...
, a parallel congress to the
1919 Paris Peace Conference Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Bratislava, Pressburg (later Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY Iolaire, HMY '' ...
and participated in the 18 March presentation to the Labour Commission of the Peace Conference regarding working conditions faced by women labourers. She served as the inaugural president of the ''Fédération des Syndicats professionnels du Vêtement'' (Federation of Professional Garment Trade Unions) of the ''
Confédération Française des Travailleurs Chrétiens The French Confederation of Christian Workers (; CFTC) is one of the five major France, French confederation of trade unions, belonging to the Christian socialism, social Christian tradition. It was founded in 1919 as the Trade Union of Employe ...
'' (CFTC) from its founding in 1921 until 1937. In 1921, she represented the ''Syndicat de l’Abbaye'' (Abbey Union) at the Second CFTC Congress. She was elected as a member of the Confederal Bureau of the General Confederation of Labour in 1921 and re-elected in 1925, and from 1922 to 1924 served on their national council. In 1923, together with Maria Bardot, she successfully negotiated the first
collective labour agreement A collective agreement, collective labour agreement (CLA) or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a written contract negotiated through collective bargaining for employees by one or more trade unions with the management of a company (or with an ...
for female garment workers, providing a basis for better wages and for expanding union membership. In the period between the two world wars, as an influential member of the CFTC, she is considered to be among the most striking representatives of women's Christian militarism in France. In 1932, she was awarded the Ministry of Labour's gold medal of honour for her work as a trade unionist. She was also honoured by the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
with the
Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice ''Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice'' ("For Church and Pope" in Latin) is a decoration of the Holy See. It is currently conferred for distinguished service to the Catholic Church by lay people and clergy. History The medal was established by Leo XII ...
in 1937.


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* * * * * * Year of birth missing Year of death missing Trade unionists from Paris French feminists French women trade unionists {{Trade-unionist-bio-stub