Published on March 26, 2023 at 5:33 p.m.
CGT: a woman to succeed Philippe Martinez? – ©Edmond Dantès
It hadn’t happened since 1895. A woman would be about to take the helm of the CGT. This is the unionist teacher Marie Buisson. Indeed, the 55-year-old woman could take over from Philippe Martinez on the occasion of the 53rd Congress of the central, which will take place this Monday.
On the occasion of the 53rd Congress of the CGT central, a woman should succeed Philippe Martinez as general secretary. It will be either Marie Buisson or Céline Verzeletti. The trade unionist had indeed announced his withdrawal from the post of general secretary last May.
A trade unionist within the CGT since 2019, she is currently secretary general of the Education Research Culture Federation (Ferc). A federation which had around 25,000 members in 2020-2021.
She comes from a family where the father worked as an executive in the pharmaceutical industry and the mother was an adult trainer. She did odd jobs before finding her way: she is now a teacher in a vocational school.
As soon as she arrived at the CGT, she asked to deal with issues related to ecological transition. A coalition called “Never again” emerged in March 2020, bringing together unions, NGOs and associations. Their goal ? Address social and environmental issues. Marie Buisson quickly became the representative of this group.
A number of CGT trade unionists contest the direction taken by the coalition, and in particular its position on nuclear power. Moreover, Philippe Martinez supported the alliance without consulting internal bodies, which causes a governance problem for many activists.
Some opponents of her candidacy also criticize her discretion, as well as the fact that she did not lead an “emblematic struggle”. Philippe Martinez defends her: “it is true that it is not a prolo (…) It is not engraved in stone that all the general secretaries of the CGT should be men who come from the metallurgy or railwaymen. »
Céline Verzeletti, meanwhile, is the daughter of a railwayman father and a teacher mother. A sizeable candidate, especially since she is particularly close to the federations. For Marie Buisson, the priority is to make the CGT a “tool for all employees in this country, (…) including those who rarely meet” the union. She also wants to put issues of gender equality and ecological transition at the heart of the fight.
