The other confederations are never forgotten

Henri Proglio - chosen by Nicolas Sarkozy - accesses the head of EDF, keeping one foot in Veolia and record compensation (EUR 1.6 million) while the CGT, the first organization of the public company, there is wrong. The CGT, the silences are sometimes also deafening that the words. However, words, Bernard Thibault was much spoken lately, and even severe against Nicolas Sarkozy. As this pique launched last week on the ultra-sensitive topic of national identity. The debate was orchestrated by the head of State "to put on the side of more fundamental issues such as the increase in social inequality", criticised on Canal .

Bernard Thibault privileged partner of the Elysée Palace or competent independent of a country without opposition At the time when he prepares to seek - without suspense - fourth term of Secretary General of the CGT - its Congress opens today in Nantes-, the means to carry out the transfer of his organization are endlessly to intrigue. He set the Elysee in negotiating reforms or is it in its role as he gets the counterparties He deliberately avoided blowing on the embers social economic crisis Far will the "deal" with the President of the Republic The question is all the more delicate than the only arrival of the CGT as a central player in the social dialogue is enough to throw the disorder - an internal minority - and to sharpen the jealousy of the other social partners, including employers. A CGT out of its traditional role as exclusively protest Union is a CGT inconvenient. Is - for as much a CGT which compromises

"Two political animals".

With Nicolas Sarkozy, there is no doubt: since his arrival at the Elysee Palace, the President of the Republic has chosen to make the SGC its social motherboard. A real break for the UMP, rather footprint culture CFDT, even FO. His religion to draft in 2004 to Bercy: to change the status of EDF, the Minister of the economy then is in the Federation CGT energy a "partner" as he likes: demanding, of course, but reliable, and ready to "deal", that his interlocutor is put the price. Its doctrine permanently fixed in the first weeks in the Elysee Palace: President is his view that his advisor Raymond Soubie focuses on social relations. Drawing the lesson of the strikes of 1995 and 2003, the two men are convinced that reform will succeed only with the trade unions - in negotiating-, and with those that matter. To do this, it should be "of strong trade unions", insists the President in a forum at the "world" (April 18, 2008), not only to reduce the space of small uncontrollable movements.

Dialogue with trade unions is, therefore, managed by the Elysee - this is a first-, the meetings are frequent, even phone calls more, constant arrangements. With all the confederations, but with the CGT in particular. Because this is the first (1) and cannot negotiate that with that which gives the "the" (especially in transportation), as it has been the case at the outset on the special pension plans: "It is a pragmatic and democratic approach." "The CGT has found its natural place of first organization," explains Raymond Soubie. But also because the current is better between the head of State and Bernard Thibault with François Chérèque and Jean-Claude Mailly counterparts (even if the deals are common with the latter).

"These are two political animals is respect," observes Laurent Wauquiez, Secretary of State for employment. The two men are worlds away political - even if they have common approaches on the preservation of industrial sites-, but they have the same operation: direct, full of power and Frank. "Nicolas Sarkozy believes that is someone many, of course, of very intelligent", decrypts Xavier Darcos, Minister of labour. "It is the shared interest of two people who play fair game," continues Xavier Bertrand, his predecessor at the beginning of the quinquennium: "Bernard Thibault has understood that we would go to the end on the special schemes, was allowed out from the top through the negotiation by companies. On the minimum service, he told us that introduce the requisition cause a test force: we have listened, without abandoning the reform.

Ministers and advisors show this particular attention paid to the CGT: the Elysée application that one household Bernard Thibault and the latter does not hesitate to call the Ministers on their laptop. Some files are arranged priority by the Government, as flagship for the CGT, as the rescue of Molex. "We asked to sell the States General of the industry as an idea of the CGT", continues a Councillor of Bercy. General states that the CGT is "official partner", one is exceptional.

The art of avoiding complicity

The UMP sometimes has difficulty understanding this axis, then on to reassure by saying that it is the master of the game, "Bernard Thibault is a student of Raymond Soubie", as wants to believe a counsellor. The link, in any case, is built enough subtle so that it never appears as such. The other confederations are never forgotten. "There is no secret pact, working with the world, ensures Laurent Wauquiez: with the CGT on illiteracy, the CFDT on the social investment fund, FO on pole job, because they are the ones who are majority."As the most important "acquired" that the CGT has obtained from the Government - new rules on representativeness-, also built with and for the CFDT.

For the CGT, the game is otherwise more dangerous. Bernard Thibault has also mastered the art of avoiding complicity with Nicolas Sarkozy. He allowed a frigid silence the "Bernard" that he launched the President at the social Summit of 18 February. "This was not a stiffening but thibaultienne rigour", corrects Raymond Soubie. Avoid being alone on a picture with the head of State, and even added an eloquent PostScript at the end of a press release from October 2007: "At the end of the meeting, Bernard Thibault Akihito not with the President of the Republic."Implication: "Unlike its counterparts in the Union."And, when the Secretary General of the CGT was ultimately accepted breakfast face-to-face with the head of State (and Raymond Soubie), he insisted that this be done quietly in the Elysee Palace and not in a restaurant, as wished by Nicolas Sarkozy. In so doing, the CGT is "Union role", said Maryse Dumas, the number two (who will be leaving the branch): "Let's not patiently wait the alternation, our role is at any time to obtain as possible for employees", she explains, by stating that Bernard Thibault is "on its guard, without illusion on the will of Nicolas Sarkozy to exploit its partners".The main trophy of the CGT Special regimes of retirement, "which cost more to state after the reform than before", proclaims, what makes leap Executive. This analysis is supported by academics who are interested in the CGT.

"Pragmatism without compromise."

"Bernard Thibault is obsessed by the weakening of the CGT," explains Jean-Marie Pernot (Ires). It seeks to conquer new territories, to gain new adherents, in private, "implying to obtain results, and in the end out of ideology to become pragmatic." "There is an SGC fighting, which will search results, challenging when required.". "It is pragmatism, but no compromise", said Jean - Dominique Simonpoli (association Dialogues and former official CGT). With the exception of FO, who accused the CGT "to have broken the Union Dynamics after large mobilization of March 19", there are few who believe that the CGT played a role of social tensions in 2009 cut-off for the benefit of the Government. "If this were the case, we would have been overwhelmed by the base", argues Maryse Dumas. "What has been given to promote and then slow movements, it is the crisis itself, and the tendency to withdrawal related", confirms Alain Olive, the leader of the Unsa, in unison with the CFDT.

A "pragmatic" CGT, which is all that it has to be drawn from a political situation that favors them, but may well block the country tomorrow: this is the position that defends Bernard Thibault, and against which his Union "opponents" are not little concrete to advance. From a general point of view at least. In "bastions" public (EDF, SNCF...), it is probably more complicated. There is a culture of the deal, the even - co-management with their corollary of opacity-, resulting in that it is not always for the best interests of the employees that the Organization negotiates. But for his own interest.

Puppet or end strategist At the dawn of its ultimate mandate - what he said-, Thibault mystery is not completely lifted, but the part is currently well played. The two men also.

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