Women lead French union groups

France’s largest trade union confederation, the CFDT, is now led by a woman, following the appointment of Marylise Léon as its general secretary at the end of June.

She is the second woman at the top the CFDT, whose first female general secretary, Nicole Notat, led the confederation for 10 years until 2002.

France’s second largest union confederation, the more militant CGT, has also chosen a woman as its general secretary this year.

Sophie Binet, who was elected at the CGT’s congress at the end of March, is the first woman to hold the post.

Women are slightly less likely than men to be union members in France. Union density, in any case, is relatively low. Official figures for 2019, the latest available, show this is estimated at 11.0% for men and 9.5% for women.