Chapter II: Civil capacity.

Trade unions have legal personality.

Only employees’ organisations constituted as trade unions are entitled to negotiate collective labour agreements. Any agreement or arrangement concerning collective working conditions shall be concluded under the conditions laid down in Book II.

Professional trade unions have the right to take legal action. They may, before all courts, exercise all the rights reserved to civil parties concerning acts that directly or indirectly harm the collective interests of the profession they represent.

The movable and immovable property required by trade unions for their meetings, libraries and training courses cannot be seized.

Trade unions may: 1° Set up and administer information centres for job offers and applications; 2° Create, administer and subsidise professional provident institutions, educational, training, popularisation or research organisations in areas of interest to the profession; 3° Subsidising production or consumer cooperatives, financing the creation of low-cost housing or the acquisition of land for allotments or physical and sporting activities.

Trade unions may set up special mutual aid and pension funds for their members. The funds of these funds may not be seized within the limits determined by the Code de la mutualité. Any person who withdraws from a trade union retains the right to be a member of the mutual aid and retirement societies for old age to whose assets he has contributed through contributions or payment of funds.