Breaking through the union glass ceiling in France: between organizational opportunities and individual resources

International audienceIn France, as in many other countries, women have great difficulties in achieving positional power within union structures, even when equality policies have been implemented, as in the case of CFDT (Confédération Française Démocratique du Travail) since 1981. Following recent developments that put emphasis on women's agency in the union context, this paper explores the structural, organizational and individual factors that have allowed few women to become union leaders. More specifically we will examine the interrelationship between internal equality policies for enhancing women's representation and other less explored dimensions such as the impact of organizing strategies and internal political battles over union identity shift, the evolution of union work and the influence of women's own resources