Beyond Membership: The Power of Representation

The low membership numbers mask French unions' real influence. Through "representativeness" rules, unions negotiate collective agreements covering entire sectors regardless of membership. A hotel worker in Nice benefits from agreements negotiated by unions they may never join. This system, bewildering to outsiders accustomed to union shops and right-to-work debates, reflects French preferences for universal protections over individual choice.

Elections for workplace representatives (élections professionnelles) determine union influence more than membership cards. Every company with over 11 employees must organize these elections, with results determining which unions participate in negotiations. Workers might vote CGT while never paying dues, supporting militant positions during conflicts while maintaining personal distance from union bureaucracies.

The extension procedure (procédure d'extension) amplifies union power. When unions and employer federations sign sector agreements, the Labor Ministry can extend them to all companies in that sector. Thus, agreements negotiated by unions representing perhaps 10% of workers become universal law, creating de facto legislation through collective bargaining.