ABSTRACT
The French Democratic Confederation of Labor (CFDT) exerts a certain fascination as an "original phenomenon", or at any rate an organization that can present itself as such and thereby enlist genuine support. Its vigorous support of the Mauroy government nearly brought it the label of "official union", yet in October 1981 it would criticize the regime for the sluggishness of change. The conclusion attempted to establish that the French Confederation of Christian Workers, by "deconfessionalizing" and deepening its humanist and democratic conception of trade unionism, would be able to tap new energies. After de Gaulle succeeded in turning the political situation around, the CFDT sought to occupy the union terrain, pushing conflicts as far as possible and putting up opposition to any repressive measures. The CFDT was so steadfast in its defense of the actions taken by the Mauroy government that it began to take on the look of an official union.
