A twist at the General Confederation of Labor (CGT). The authorities of the trade union center had only a few hours left to agree on a name to succeed Philippe Martinez, who was to be announced to the approximately 1,000 delegates gathered in congress on Friday March 31 until noon. It will ultimately be neither Marie Buisson, candidate for the outgoing team, nor Céline Verzeletti, but Sophie Binet. She is the first woman to hold this position since the organization was founded in 1895.
At the end of a hectic night and morning, a third way has therefore emerged around the general secretary of the General Union of Engineers, Executives and Technicians (Ugict), the union of CGT executives.
This surprise choice comes after a week of stormy congresses, in the midst of a battle against pension reform and a few days before an inter-union meeting in Matignon, at the invitation of Elisabeth Borne.
Former member of UNEF
“The united inter-union” will meet the Prime Minister on Wednesday “to demand the withdrawal of the reform” pensions, the new Secretary General confirmed in her speech on Friday. However, she said the opposition of the CGT to the hypothesis of a “mediation” in accordance with a « appel » voted Thursday evening at the congress, which distances itself from this idea carried by the inter-union and approved by Philippe Martinez on Tuesday.
On the move in Nièvre, Elisabeth Borne was delighted with the response from the inter-union. “I am listening and I am delighted that the inter-union responds to my invitation”declared the head of government, also judging that the accession of Mme Binet at the head of the confederation was “good news for all women”.
Sophie Binet, born in 1982, is a former member of the UNEF student union and former senior education advisor. She had been at the head of the Ugict since 2018. A member of the confederal executive committee, the extended management of the CGT, she was a referent of the Mixed Women collective, and committed to environmental issues and gender equality. candidate ” by default “ according to some, it will have the heavy task of picking up the pieces of a deeply divided CGT, at a time when the central is on the front line in the fight against pension reform.
Céline Verzeletti board member
The confederal office of the CGT was presented in the wake of the election of Mme Binet, with as administrator the leader of the CGT-Cheminots, Laurent Brun, who thus becomes the number two of the union. Céline Verzeletti, candidate approached to take the head of the CGT but finally dismissed, is also a member of the office.
Also elected were Catherine Giraud, general secretary of the Vienne departmental union, Nathalie Bazire (Manche), Mireille Stivala (health and social action federation) and Sébastien Ménesplier (mines-energy). Boris Plazzi, confederal secretary in charge of salaries, Gérard Ré, secretary general of the Alpes-Maritimes union, and Thomas Vacheron, member of the confederal management, are also part of the office.
Congress kicked off in a tense atmosphere on Monday, with around 20 members of the trade federation forcing their way into the debating chamber to protest that they could not sit there. On Tuesday, the delegates rejected the activity report of the outgoing management (50.32% of the votes against), an unprecedented event in the history of the CGT and a major disavowal for Philippe Martinez and his runner-up.