Syndical

Syndical is an adjective relating to a syndicate or to the syndicalist movement, especially in discussions of labor unions and related political theories. In its common modern usage, syndical describes approaches to organizing work and power through federations of trade unions and worker councils rather than through traditional parliamentary parties or centralized state control.

Historically, syndicalism emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries within socialist and anarchist circles. Its central tenets emphasize direct action, industrial action over electoral politics, and the goal of worker self-management. Advocates argue that production should be controlled by workers through their unions and councils, with federations coordinating across industries.

Variants of syndicalism include anarcho-syndicalism, which seeks to abolish the state and capitalism in favor of a society run by worker collectives, and industrial unionism, which stresses organizing by industry to gain broader bargaining power. The movement influenced several labor organizations in the 20th century, notably the CNT in Spain and the CGT in France, and is associated with groups such as the IWW in the United States.

In contemporary usage, syndical is encountered mainly in historical analyses of labor movements or in discussions of radical labor theory. The term remains a descriptor of certain organizational philosophies and historical strands of the labor movement rather than a dominant mode of mainstream labor politics.