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A trade union or labor union, often simply referred to as a union, is an organisation of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", such as attaining better wages and benefits, improving working conditions, improving safety standards, establishing complaint procedures, developing rules governing status of employees and protecting and increasing the bargaining power of workers.
The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) is an international federation of trade unions established in 1945. Founded in the immediate aftermath of World War Two, the organization built on the pre-war legacy of the International Federation of Trade Unions as a single structure for trade unions world-wide. With the emergence of the Cold War in the late 1940s, the WFTU splintered, with most trade unions from the Western-aligned countries leaving and creating the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) in 1949. Throughout the Cold War, membership of the WFTU was made up predominantly of trade unions from the Soviet-aligned and non-aligned countries. However, there were notable exceptions to this, such as the Yugoslav and Chinese unions, which departed following the Tito-Stalin and Sino-Soviet splits, respectively, or the French CGT and Italian CGIL unions, who were members. With the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the WFTU lost the largest portion of its membership and financial support. Since the start of the 2000s, the organization shifted headquarters to Athens and recruited new members, claiming to have grown from representing 48 million workers in 2005 to 105 million in 2022.
The politics of Belgium take place in the framework of a federal, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy. The King of the Belgians is the head of state, and the prime minister of Belgium is the head of government, in a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Federal legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives. The federation is made up of (language-based) communities and (territorial) regions. Philippe is the seventh and current King of the Belgians, having ascended the throne on 21 July 2013.
The economy of Belgium is a modern, capitalist economy that has capitalised on the country's central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Belgium was the first country to undergo an Industrial Revolution on the continent of Europe in the early 19th century. It has since developed an excellent transportation infrastructure of ports, canals, railways, and highways, in order to integrate its industry with that of its neighbours.
Christian Democratic and Flemish is a Flemish Christian-democratic political party in Belgium. The party has historical ties to both trade unionism (ACV) and trade associations (UNIZO) and the Farmer's League. Until 2001, the party was named the Christian People's Party.
The International Federation Textile-Clothing (IFTC/FITH) was an International Trade Federation of the World Confederation of Labour (WCL).
The Confederation of Christian Trade Unions is the largest of Belgium's three trade union federations.
The General Labour Federation of Belgium is a socialist national trade union federation in Belgium. It was founded in 1945. It is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation and has a membership of 1.5 million. With said membership the ABVV/FGTB is the second largest of the three major trade unions in Belgium, closely following the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (ACV/CSC) which has 1.6 million members and dwarfing the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (ACLVB/CGSLB) which has approximately 300,000 members. During the bulk of its history the ABVV/FGTB remained closely affiliated with the Belgian Socialist Party which was split in 1978 into a Flemish and a Walloon social-democratic party. While remaining formally independent from any political party, the ABVV/FGTB noticed the increasing influence by the marxist Workers' Party of Belgium amongst its active base during the last decade.
Inge Vervotte is a Belgian politician for the Christian Democratic and Flemish party (CD&V). She was Belgian federal minister for Civil Service and Public Enterprises in the Leterme I Government, which was in office in 2008 from 20 March to 30 December.
vdk bank, formerly VDK Spaarbank, is a Belgian commercial bank. Vdk bank is a Belgian ethical bank, of which the direct predecessor was founded in the bosom of the active workers' movement. The bank has been the principal commercial sponsor of the football team KAA Gent and the female volleyballteam VDK bank Gent.
The General Union is a general union representing workers in Belgium.
The Union of Belgian Textile Workers was a trade union representing workers in the textile trades in Belgium.
The Union of Clothing Workers and Kindred Trades in Belgium was a trade union representing workers in the clothing industry in Belgium.
The General Diamond Workers' Association of Belgium was a trade union representing workers in the diamond trade in Belgium.
The Food and Services Union is a trade union representing workers in various industries in Belgium.
Henri Pauwels was a Belgian trade unionist and politician.
Willy Peirens is a former Belgian trade union leader.
Transcom is a trade union representing workers in the transport and communication industries in Belgium.
Construction, Industry and Energy is a trade union representing workers in the construction and energy sectors in Belgium.
Maria Vindevoghel is a Belgian shop steward in the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions and politician of the Workers' Party of Belgium.
References
- ↑ "Groen licht voor fusie metaal- en textielcentrale ACV". Gazet van Antwerpen. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ↑ "Unions in Belgium increase their strength through merger". Union Network International. 10 January 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- 1 2 "WILLIAM VAN ERDEGHEM NIEUWE VOORZITTER ACV-CSC METEA". HR Square. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2021.