French union goes cold on ETUC

FO, the third largest union confederation in France, is showing signs of increasing dissatisfaction towards the European Trade Union Confederation. The FO, which was one of the founding members of the ETUC in 1973, failed to back key elements of the ETUC's policy at the European body's congress in Helsinki last year, and more criticism was expressed at its own congress earlier this month. Roger Poletti, leader of the transport federation within FO, said that, despite looking hard, he could see "no social advance in European directives". Another delegate accused the ETUC of being the "transmission belt of the European Commission".

The future direction of the FO is uncertain. Its present secretary

general Marc Blondel was re-elected with 97% support but will only stay for another four years. However, there are clear divisions within the union between a moderate and more radical wing, and in recent years it has lost influence at national level to its arch rival the CFDT.