Long live the Landesverband in the OGBL

It’s a historic moment, a date that will go down in the history of Luxembourg trade unions. On January 31, 2024, the Landesverband finally joined the OGBL, in accordance with the unanimous decision of its delegates at an Extraordinary Congress last October.

It was with great emotion that the last president of the FNCTTFEL Landesverband, Georges Merenz, in office since 2017, addressed the union members and guests gathered at the Casino syndical in Bonnevoie on the occasion of a celebration specially organized for this historic day. “Dear comrades, I am now closing the doors of the union founded in 1909 under the name of Fédération nationale des cheminots, travailleurs du transport, fonctionnaires et employés luxembourgeois, FNCTTFEL-Landesverband,” he solemnly declared.

But there is no need to be mistaken, “the history of the Landesverband is far from over”, as Georges Merenz was keen to point out. OGBL president Nora Back added: “This is not the end of the Landesverband. It’s the beginning of something very big, something bigger than what we had together before. In fact, the final integration into the OGBL does not mean that the Landesverband will disappear. After the provisional integration that began in July 2020, the structures of the Landesverband will be incorporated into the OGBL and will strengthen it.

First of all, a new professional syndicate has been added to the existing professional syndicates of the OGBL: the FNCTTFEL/Landesverband Railways Syndicate. The supply teachers affiliated to the Landesverband joined the Education and Science Syndicate (SEW) of the OGBL. Finally, the public service sector of the Landesverband was integrated into the Public Service Syndicate of the OGBL, which is now called the OGBL/Landesverband Public Service Syndicate. As of 2020, the president of the local also holds one of the three vice-presidencies of the OGBL.

Three former presidents of the Landesverband – Josy Konz (1985-1998), Nico Wennmacher (1998-2009) and Guy Greivelding (2009-2017) – were also invited to speak on the occasion of the definitive integration of the Landesverband into the OGBL. All three, in their own way, looked back on the long process that finally led to this successful integration. A path full of pitfalls, as they pointed out. But that’s all water under the bridge now. “I am proud of you that on October 7, 2023, in this room, we unanimously decided to face the future,” said Georges Merenz, stressing the challenges ahead and the need to come together to meet them in the interests of employees, retirees and their families.

Finally, it should be noted that the definitive integration of the Landesverband into the OGBL took place just before the forthcoming social elections on March 12, 2024, thus clarifying matters for all voters called to cast their ballots. And to quote the past president of the Landesverband one last time: “Everyone in the country must know that on March 12 there is only one good choice. It’s List 2, the OGBL!”