Our origins date back to 24 January 1978, when the Officers Trade Union Confederation (OTUC) was officially recognised. Nowadays, the Central Independent Trade Union and of Officials (CSI-F) is the resultant organisation of convergence of independent, professional and non-partisan trade unions.
After the Act 29/1975 was enacted establishing a representation system in MUFACE (Spanish civil service's benefit society), professional associations were interested in making up a central trade union that united the independents inside the Spanish trade union world. On 29 December 1977, representatives from 24 associations and a federation meet together and build a trade union organisation and sign a certificate of the Officers Trade Union Confederation constitution. It was officially recognised on 24 January 1978, registered in the Public Service General Management.
We can establish 4 different periods in our history:
• Officers Trade Union Confederation (CSF). 1977-1979.
• Officers Independent Trade Union Confederation (CSIF). 1979-1991.
• Independent Trade Unions Confederation and Officers Trade Union (CSI-CSIF). 1991-2000.
• Central Independent Trade Union and of Officials (CSI-CSIF). Marzo 2000- actualidad.
Since the beginning, and until the Unification Congress on 4 and 5 June 1979, the Confederation defined itself as “politically neutral, professional, democratic, and independent”, it had high acceptance among the independent associations, and the first trade union elections were won in the Civil Service (1978) having representation in the Spanish Public Administrations since then.
The first president, Andrés Borderías Martín, was elected in the General Assembly on 25 October 1978 until 1986. The following presidents were José Luis Alemany (1986-1993), Antonio Corrales (1993-1995), Domingo Fernández (1995-2011), and Miguel Borra Izquierdo (since 2011).
The current period (Central Independent Trade Union and of Officials) started with the Valencia Congress (29 February, 1 and 2 March 2000), and a period of enhancing and developing our model took off.
The Congress brought some of the following changes:
• Change of name, not initials
• Update of our normative enhancing union action and our negotiation power
• Adaptation of our organisation structure making it similar to the Spanish territorial structure and so establishing Autonomous Trade Unions able to act, and manage economy, patrimony and administration.
• Encouragement and increase of democratic participation at congresses through more convention delegates according to their membership and representativeness.
• Improvement of our sector organisation distinguishing three types of sector according to their area of negotiation, which makes it easy to join with independent groups.
• Creation of regional and insular zones
Nowadays, apart from being one of the most representative trade union in the Spanish Public Administration, we have a strong and representative presence inside the European and international forums taking and being part of the governing bodies in EUROFEDOP, CESI, INFEDOP, CSME, and CMT, among others. We can proudly assure and proclaim that we have always been loyal to our core principles and to our aim to establish, practice, unite, and defend a “professional and independent unionism” in Spain.
