Sophie Binet succeeded Philippe Martinez at the end of March 2023 as general secretary of the CGT. But who is she? What is his academic, professional and union background? Business Cool paints the portrait of this woman who places herself at the heart of French politics.
Being general secretary of the CGT is not an easy task. Philippe Martinez has proven it many times. We must support managers and technicians as well as take into account laws, regulations and government decisions. On pension reform, it was a battle lasting several months between President Emmanuel Macron and the CGT.
What is the CGT?
The General Confederation of Labor (CGT) is the oldest French union and one of the most influential. Founded in 1895, it plays a key role in protecting workers’ rights, defending the interests of employees and promoting fair working conditions. The CGT is also renowned for its commitment to social progress and worker solidarity.
As you can imagine, the CGT has marked the history of the labor movement in France. During World War I, the union played a crucial role in defending workers’ rights in the face of the aftermath of war. In the 1930s, the General Confederation of Labor actively opposed the rise of fascism and fought for trade union and social rights. After the Second World War, the CGT played a major role in the establishment of the social security system in France.
Despite the years, the CGT remains a major player in French trade unionism today and we have been able to see this very recently. This union fights to preserve social gains and assert workers’ rights in a constantly evolving economic and social context, particularly after the pandemic and economic crises.
Recently, the CGT has been active in mobilizing against labor market and pension reforms, defending the idea of social justice and equitable distribution of wealth. The union has displayed its fierce opposition to the reform, as well as to the manner in which it was passed through the National Assembly. Sophie Binet, deputy general secretary of the CGT, played a key role in these struggles, bringing her expertise and commitment to the service of workers.
What are Sophie Binet’s curriculum and background?
Let’s return to our sheep and to Sophie Binet. Sophie Binet was born in Metz on January 5, 1982. Her father is Nicolas Binet, the man to whom we owe the renovation of the northern districts of Marseille. However, little is known about his mother.
Sophie Binet trained in philosophy at the University of Nantes. Why Nantes? Because it is in this region that it will grow. She will also begin her union involvement within the City of Dukes. Although she enrolled in the Christian Workers’ Youth at 15, it was during her time at the University of Nantes that she became an activist by joining the UNEF.
The career of Sophie Binet
Before looking at Sophie Binet’s union commitment, it is appropriate to look back at her career, which is also marked by her commitments. After her studies at the University of Nantes, she followed in her father’s footsteps and worked as a CPE in the northern districts of Marseille. Its objective was assumed: to restore social mobility and try to help audiences who are sometimes forgotten.
In 2009, she left the south of France to work as a senior education advisor in Blanc-Mesnil, in the Paris region. Its objective remains the same: to support young people and give them the keys to success. She will leave these functions in 2013 to launch full-time into trade unionism in 2014.
Sophie Binet’s union commitment
The beginnings within the UNEF
As mentioned above, Sophie Binet’s union involvement began at the age of 15, within Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne, but really took on another dimension when she joined the UNEF in Nantes as a student, in the 2000s. .
Over the years, she will climb the ranks within the National Union of Students of France and her university. In 2002, she joined the council of studies and university life in Nantes, then became student vice-president of the University of Nantes and president of UNEF Nantes in 2003. A few months later, she even became vice-president of the University of Nantes. national president of the UNEF and hold several mandates within the National Council of Higher Education and Research.
At the UNEF, Sophie Binet fully expresses her commitments and will even participate in several events. It will be at the heart of the movement against the CPE, the first employment contract, which was proposed in 2006.
The arrival of Sophie Binet at the CGT
Sophie Binet remained firmly involved in unions, until joining a branch of the CGT in 2014: the UGICT-CGT. This is the General Union of executive engineers and technicians members of the CGT. That year, she was elected deputy secretary general.
Here again, Sophie Binet will rise through the ranks to become co-general secretary in 2018, then general secretary in November 2021. Her strength? We praise his knowledge of the world of industry. In particular, she will participate in the creation of the House of Whistleblowers. Freedom of the press is also one of its main concerns. She will also commit, in 2022, to a bill around the protection of whistleblowers.
The meteoric progression within the CGT
2022 is the year when Sophie Binet joins the confederal office of the CGT. This is a consecration for the one who has led many great projects within the UGICT-CGT, starting with a petition against the Labor Law which collected, in 2016, more than a million signatures.
What makes the difference in Sophie Binet’s profile? His commitment within the PS which allows him to have a strong proximity to the world of politics, while maintaining a distanced and observant view of this universe, but also the associations and other unions. Her personal struggles, particularly on feminism and press freedom, also make her the ideal candidate to join the confederal office of the CGT.
The consecration will arrive on March 31, 2023, when Sophie Binet will be appointed general secretary of the CGT, replacing Philippe Martinez. She will collect 82% of the votes, a sign of her popularity within the union.
PS, freedom of the press… Sophie Binet’s other commitments
Sophie Binet is a woman who is extremely committed beyond the simple circle of unions. In fact, she joined the PS. In 2008, she will sign a motion carried by Benoît Hamon: A world in advance. She will also show her support for party executives during elections and will take a position for Martine Aubry against François Hollande in 2011, during the PS primaries.
Among Sophie Binet’s other commitments, we also find feminism. In 2018, she will lead the women’s diversity collective which deals with issues related to gender equality within the CGT. She will also participate in the publication of a column on sexist and sexual violence in the professional world and on the lack of action around these themes. She is also appointed, in 2022, member of the High Council for Equality between Women and Men until 2025.
Finally, one of the three other major pillars that guide Sophie Binet is freedom of the press. She co-founded the CGT’s House of Whistleblowers, but that’s not all! She has also brought this topic up many times. In 2022-2023, she publishes columns in the magazine Humanity to discuss freedom of the press. She will also make a notable media appearance, explaining to CNEWS that she will not answer their questions. She will say want to speak only to “ media that guarantee freedom of expression and plurality “.
Sophie Binet, general secretary of the CGT: her major projects?
Sophie Binet is today general secretary of the CGT. He is one of the youngest people appointed to this position. Its common thread? Always defending employees, of course, while maintaining a firm position. She had also explained during the pension reform that she only wanted the elimination of the bill. His project is of course appeasement within the CGT which has sometimes appeared disunited.
Another project that it intends to carry out and which differs from its predecessor: climate change. Sophie Binet is aware of the need to quickly make a green transition. It even launched the Work and Environment Radar, the objective of which is to enable a company’s employees to push the latter for change.
For many, the appointment of Sophie Binet as general secretary of the CGT will also be a way for the union to revitalize itself. Some members and external observers regret the inaction of the General Confederation of Labor which allowed the CFDT to get ahead. Many consider that the CGT should also be the executives’ union.
Sophie Binet: the salary of the general secretary of the CGT
Philippe Martinez’s salary has been the subject of much speculation. Some mentioned 6,853 euros per month. However, his remuneration would have been, according to sources, between 3,440 and 4,250 euros per month. This is the gross monthly salary of the general secretary of the CGT.
Does Sophie Binet receive the same salary as her predecessor? At this time, his exact remuneration is not known. However, we can assume that it is less important than that of Philippe Martinez. In question? Seniority within the organization and in these functions, a criterion which greatly impacts the salary of the general secretary of the CGT.
Sophie Binet and her private life
Many wonder about Sophie Binet’s private life. Little is currently known about his history, origins or private life. It must be said that his status as general secretary of the CGT does not exempt him from the legitimate right to respect for his personal life. The only known information is that she is married to a Merchant Navy officer with whom she had a child.
