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Binet is the new leader of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), the second largest union in France, after a tough election day in which she relegated her colleagues Marie Buisson and Celine Verzeletti. The new general secretary called to continue the fight against the controversial pension reform of the Government of Emmanuel Macron.
At 41, Sophie Binet will replace Philippe Martínez at the head of the General Confederation of Labour, the second largest union in France and one of the most active in the protests against the pension reform.
In recent months, Martínez’s leadership has been weakened by the multiple factions that the core of the CGT has experienced as a result of the controversial reform that will raise the retirement age in France from 62 to 64 years.
Binet was elected after the 66 members of the Confederal Executive Commission of the CGT met late at night on Thursday to open the internal gathering, with the aim of finding a new union leader.
Marie Buisson was the favorite for the experts, since she was backed by Philippe Martínez. However, the hardest line in the trade union federation supported Celine Verzeletti.
Faced with the dilemma, Binet emerged as a “surprise” option for the position and managed to become a consensus alternative for the members of the commission.
Binet promises to continue the fight against the pension reform
“We will not give up, there will be no truce,” declared the new general secretary when addressing the issue of the union fight against the controversial pension reform.
Binet’s first challenge at the helm of the CGT will be the meeting with the French Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, to which the entire “united inter-union union” is invited. Binet confirmed the participation of his group in the meeting on April 5, clearing up doubts about a possible refusal.
“We will go, the entire inter-union, united, to demand the withdrawal of this reform in a firm, determined manner,” declared Binet.
From the classroom to the union elite
Sophie Binet has a long political career within the second largest trade union in France. In the past, she was a school supervisor and a member of the UNEF student union, a branch of the CGT.
In addition, the new general secretary is known for publicly expressing her feminist and environmental ideas, coupled with belonging to the most defined ideological wing of the union.
Binet has multiple challenges ahead, among them, mediating the internal debate in the union on whether the CGT should moderate its ideological cut to a more centralized one or radicalize more to the left.
The fight against the pension reform is the main issue on the union’s current agenda, however, the improvement of working conditions and contractual struggles are other challenges that the CGT has in its sights.
With Reuters, EFE and AFP
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