The Development of Catholic Trade Unions in Europe
By Kurt Vorndran
June 18, 2006
Just a few words for background for those
less familiar with the European trade union historical situation, as some
Americans may be confused by the references.
In many nations of Europe, as trade unionism
developed in the 19th and early 20th century, multiple trade union centres (or
federations, equivalent to the AFL-CIO) developed. Some were
anti-clerical and even atheistic, in part responding to the general association
of organized religion with the anti-worker establishment and the most
unfortunate lack of pastoral care for workers by the Christian churches.
This, of course, resulted in increased opposition by religious leaders to trade
unionism. By God's grace, certain Christian leaders -- Father Gapon among
the Orthodox, the Methodist Movement among Protestants, and, in our own Catholic
tradition, Father Kolping and Bishop Emmanuel von Ketteler -- refused to
be forced into a false choice between anti-clerical unions and
anti-unionism. Starting in Germany, Catholics organized our own trade
unions, styled "Christian Unions" (i.e. structurally independent of the
Church and often open to Protestants).
This provided workers with an opportunity to
remain loyal to their faith while supporting the labor movement. Leo
XIII's letter was an affirmation of this initiative which, until then, often saw
conservative prelates opposing Christian unions.
Despite the division this caused in the
labor movement (other splits also existed -- "yellow" unions, and in Switzerland
and Netherlands, separate Protestant and Catholic unions. Anti-clerical
unions eventually split between Communist and social democratic), this
initiative clearly was needed at its time. However, as history
progressed, the various federations turned more to the business of meat and
potatoes unionism rather than ideological and religious issues. (You can
be sure that if in a region the bricklayers union was Christian and the
stonemasons union socialistic, then every Catholic church, hospital and school
was built of brick!)
In America, it was Cardinal Gibbons who
opposed the call by some to set up Catholic unions. He nstead supported
the right of Catholics to join unions that were neither sectarian nor
anti-clerical and affirmed that American unions followed that model.
The experience of fascism brought Christian
and Socialist trade unionist together as their unions were forced underground
and leaders imprisoned. It was thought that the division in the labor
movement weakened its ability to respond to fascism. After WW2, the
Vatican took a change in course and wanted to get out of the business of
sponsoring confessionally based labor unions. Local bishops did not always
agree with the Vatican but in Germany, Austria and other countries, a single
labor federation was created neither hostile to the church nor an arm of
it. In the Low countries, divisions were too in place to achieve this
objective.
In France, the Christian Labor Federation
(CFCT -- founded in 1919) was re-created after liberation, but with an
internal discussion as to which direction to turn. In 1964, by a large
majority, it voted to change its name to the French Federation of Democratic
Workers (CFDT), to acknowledge that its members came from both Christian and
humanist traditions, and declare itself independent of any outside
institution. It grew substantially, attracting many French workers who did
not wish to be a member of the Communist CGT nor of the relatively weak social
democratic FO but neither wished to be part of a sectarian union. A small
minority broke away, adopted the former name and continues the social-Christian
tradition.
The modern day CFCT is a small yet honorable
union that stands proudly in the social-Christian tradition. The CFDT
is also an honorable union, in no way anti-clerical nor anti-Catholic.
Kurt Vorndran