Belgium Trade Union affiliation is one of the highest in the world: in the private sector 54 out of 100 workers are members of a trade union.
Belgium Trade Union affiliation is one of the highest in the world: in the private sector 54 out of 100 workers are members of a trade union.
Belgium has three trade union national centres officially recognized as representative organisations: the CSC-ACV (Confederation of Christian Trade Unions, Confédération des Syndicats Chrétiens/ Algemeen Christelijk Vakverbond van België) with 1.6 million affiliates, the FGTB-ABVV (General Labour Federation of Belgium –Fédération Générale du Travail de la Belgique/ Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond) with approximately 1.2 million, and CGSLB-ACLVB (Liberal) with 240,000 members (General Central Organisation of Liberal Trade Unions in Belgium, Centrale Générale des Syndicats Libéraux de Belgique / Algemene Centrale der Liberale Vakbonden).
Elections for works councils and works safety committees are held every four years in the private sector. The results also determine the representation of the trade unions.
| CSC- ACV | FGTB- ABVV | Others | |
| Works' Council | 52% | 37% | 11% |
| Work safety committee | 53% | 37% | 10% |
The FGTB-ABVV acts to defend the rights of all workers. It is present in all industrial, economic, government and social sectors. At the heart of both public services and private enterprise, within traded and non-traded sectors, amongst profit-oriented or non-profit undertakings, in major companies and small and medium-sized enterprises, in the service of every worker and every job-seeker, within every region and province in Belgium.
The FGTB-ABVV also represents those who are excluded and the most deprived: migrant workers, women, the retired and the early retired, and the unemployed.
The FGTB-ABVV is an association of 3 inter-regional organisations (Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia), based on the federal structure of the Belgian State, and of 18 regional organisations, grouping members according to location.
The FGTB-ABVV has seven industrial federations, grouping members according to industrial sector: General; Employees; Metal; Textiles-Clothing-Diamonds; Transport; Food and Catering; and General Public Services.
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The interests of over 1.6 million members are represented within the CSC-ACV through its double structure: the trade federations coordinating trade union activities for those working in individual sectors and the regional federations organizing services for members and coordinating general interest activities for members across trade groups.
The CSC-ACV is also an association of industrial federations: Food Services; Metal, Textiles-Clothing, Building and Industry; Communication and Culture; Public Service (including teaching); Chemistry and energy; and Employees and Managerial staff.
The CSC-ACV is a strong organisation with an extensive network of more than 150 service-centres and 2,750 full-time staff, allowing workers to get quality services including legal assistance, unemployment benefits, training, counselling and administrative assistance for matters related to work, social security, etc.
The centre is an autonomous public service established by an Act of Parliament on 15 February 1993 , born of the political will of Parliament and the Government in response to proposals by the Royal Commission for Immigrant Policy and the emergence of extremist movements in Belgium.
