Confederazione dei Comitati di Base

As Cobas in Italy grassroots unions are referred to that are organized locally and not leadership emphasized. They differ fundamentally from the general confederations.

History

The term comes from an abbreviation of the eighties, the Co.Ba.S. ( Comitato di Base Scuola to German: Basic school committee ). The term has been extended in a row on all base committees and has thus received its current sense.

After various approaches of workers' councils for self-government in the field of metal processing, the first base Committee In 1986, the education sector along with the train drivers of the Ferrovie dello Stato ( CO.MU ). In consequence formed in all sectors Cobas, which are sometimes organized in networks, such as the Confederazione Italiana di Base Unicobas ( across sectors with a focus on school), the Slai Cobas (metalworking) and the SinCobas. Among the most important organizations of the Cobastyps counts the Confederazione Cobas that the original Cobas della scuola, the Cobas sanità (Cobas health), the Cobas Pubblico Impiego (Cobas Government Service) and the Cobas del Lavoro Privato (Cobas private sector, for example:, Enel Telecom Italia, etc.) organized. Another important Cobasgruppe is the Confederazione Italiana di Base Unicobas, which includes the area school, university, education, health care, public services, local economy, metalworking and private sector.

Among the rank and file committees counts in Italy also the Unione Italiana Sindacale.

Structure

The Cobas are unions that are organized in contrast to the general trade unions, such as the CGIL, CISL, UIL or, at the local level and have no parent leadership offices. This organization strategy builds on the organizational form of the so-called factory councils, which was abandoned by the majority of trade unions by the union crisis in the eighties.

The form of organization and the strategies of the Cobas meant that a majority of the members of the political left, comes from anarchism movement, or at least from the anti-liberalism and anti-capitalism movement. Support received Cobas mostly of the radical left-wing parties such as the Communist Refoundation. An exception is the Cobas del latte or the Co.SPLat. ( Comitato Spontaneo Produttori Latte, to German Spontaneous body of the milk producers), which was founded by free milk producers.