Editing Economy of Belgium (section)

=== Trade unions ===
{{Main|List of trade unions in Belgium}}

With 65% of the workers belonging to a union, Belgium is a country with one of the highest percentages of trade union membership. Only the Scandinavian countries have a higher trade union density. The biggest union with around 1.7&nbsp;million members is the Christian democrat [[Confederation of Christian Trade Unions]] (ACV-CSC) which was founded in 1904.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/957/Binnenland/article/detail/1166041/2010/10/05/Aantal-leden-christelijke-vakbond-neemt-jaar-na-jaar-toe.dhtml|title=Aantal leden christelijke vakbond neemt jaar na jaar toe|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> The origins of the union can be traced back to the "Anti-Socialist Cotton Workers Union" that was founded in 1886.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.acv-online.be/acv-online/het-acv/Wie-zijn-we/Geschiedenis/Geschiedenis.html|title=130 jaar ACV-geschiedenis|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> The second biggest union is the socialist [[General Federation of Belgian Labour]] (ABVV-FGTB) which has a membership of more than 1.5&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vlaamsabvv.be/art/pid/13618/Hoeveel-leden-telt-het-ABVV.htm|title=Hoeveel leden telt het ABVV? – Vlaams ABVV – Socialistische vakbond in Vlaanderen – Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond ABVV|website=vlaamsabvv.be|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-date=19 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219131851/http://www.vlaamsabvv.be/art/pid/13618/Hoeveel-leden-telt-het-ABVV.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> The ABVV-FGTB traces its origins to 1857, when the first Belgian union was founded in [[Ghent]] by a group of [[weaving|weavers]]. This and other socialist unions became unified around 1898. The ABVV-FGTB in its current form dates back to 1945. The third major multi-sector union in Belgium is the liberal (classical liberal) union [[General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium]] (ACLVB-CGSLB) which is relatively small in comparison to the first two with a little under 290 thousand members.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aclvb.be/over-aclvb/structuurkerncijfers/|title=Structuur en kerncijfers van de ACLVB|date=12 October 2015|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> The ACLVB-CGSLB was founded in 1920 in an effort to unite the many small liberal unions. Back then the liberal union was known as the "Nationale Centrale der Liberale Vakbonden van België". In 1930, the ACLVB-CGSLB adopted its current name.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aclvb.be/over-aclvb/historiek/|title=Geschiedenis van de ACLVB|date=12 October 2015|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref>

Besides these "big three" there are a number of smaller unions, some more influential than others. These smaller unions tend to specialize in one profession or economic sector. Next to these specialized unions there is also the [[:nl:Neutrale en Onafhankelijke Vakbond|Neutral and Independent Union]] that rejects the [[pillarization]] of the "big three" trade unions (their affiliation with political parties). There is also a small Flemish nationalist union that exists only in the [[Flemish language|Flemish]]-speaking part of Belgium, called the [[:nl:Vlaamse Solidaire Vakbond|Vlaamse Solidaire Vakbond]]. The last Belgian union worth mentioning is the very small, but highly active anarchist union called the [[:nl:Vrije Bond|Vrije Bond]].