Luxembourg's largest trade unions set up a united front against social reforms

In response to increasing government pressure to redefine social and labour rights, Luxembourg's two largest national trade unions, the OGBL and LCGB, announced the creation of a single cooperation structure: the Union des syndicats OGBL et LCGB. This move was the culmination of a trade union rapprochement that began in autumn 2024.

The statutes of the new structure signed on 20 June 2025 are not just a formality. It is a direct political signal: the trade unions intend to act together and systematically to stop what they call the "retrograde" social policy of the current government.

The new structure will be a tool:

• jointly protecting the rights and interests of workers and pensioners - both resident and cross-border,
• coordinating union actions and positions,
• to develop a joint negotiating strategy,
• preparation for the upcoming social elections, a crucial element of the Luxembourg model of corporate participation.

It is governed by a 24-member peer council, with 12 representatives from each union. The union is led by Nora Back from OGBL and Patrick Dury from LCGB - both of whom are also co-founders of the new organisation.

What caused this mobilisation?

The decisive trigger was the government's project to limit the exclusive right of trade unions to sign collective agreements, the main instrument for the protection of labour rights in Luxembourg. This was followed by plans to:

• to reform the pension system,
• the extension of working hours on Sundays,
• revising the minimum wage,
• liberalising working hours in the commercial sector.

This caused a sharp aggravation within the country. In January 2025, the OGBL and LCGB had already announced the creation of a provisional front, which is now legally enshrined.

Until now, the OGBL and LCGB - the largest but ideologically different trade unions (left-wing and Christian-socialist respectively) - have operated autonomously. Their union is an event without precedent in Luxembourg's modern trade union history.

Workers and pensioners now have a united trade union voice in negotiations with employers, government and internationally.

The creation of the Union des syndicats OGBL et LCGB is not just an organisational measure. It is a manifesto of resistance. At a time when European governments are increasingly questioning the old model of the welfare state, Luxembourg's trade unions are saying: "We will not back down".

The historical unity of the two rivals is also a signal to political parties and civil society: the workers' movement is ready for a new type of struggle - organised, modern and, if necessary, tough.