France: Where have all the union members gone?

French union membership has collapsed, but collective bargaining remains high due to legal provisions-raising doubts that EU minimum wage rules will revive union ranks.

The key points: French union density has dropped from 30% in 1949 to less than 10% today, with only 5% of young workers unionised. Despite this, collective bargaining coverage remains at 98% due to legal provisions.

The key numbers: In 1949 French union density stood at 30%. Today, it is less than 10% and only 5% of young workers under the age of 30 are union members. At its 26^th conference in 1946, the CGT has 5 million members. Today, it has around 600,000. The slightly bigger CFDT has 634,200.

Why this matters: The French experience shows that high collective bargaining coverage can exist even with low union membership, raising doubts about the effectiveness of EU minimum wage rules in reviving union ranks.

Our analysis: Unions struggle to adapt to the shift from manufacturing to services and to the rise of contingent work. Legal frameworks, not membership, underpin collective bargaining in France. Union membership is unlikely to rebound without significant changes, as workers benefit from collective agreements without joining unions, thanks to “erga omnes” rules.

Le Figaro newspaper article [in French]