In 1965 SGV President Henri Geoffroy formed a "Study Group" charged with exploring the possibilities of setting up a collective agreement to define the pay and working conditions of Marne winegrowers. The group met at frequent intervals to plan strategy and listen to the proposals of union delegates.
The agreement was officially signed on 2 July 1969 in the Hall of Honour of the offices of the Marne General Council. From 1975 to 1976, André Robert and André Drappier successfully campaigned for its extension to cover all of the terroirs in the Aisne and the Aube.
The date 23 May 1969 marked the first General Meeting of the "Groupement des Employeurs du SGV" (group of SGV employers), with a remit to undertake the following:
- research into the social problems faced by winegrowing communities;
- decision-making regarding all Marne winegrowers, irrespective of SGV membership, in concert with equally represented workers’ delegations;
- the provision of information and training to viticultural employers.
The Group’s first president was Verzenay wine-grower Rémy Paillard, who was succeeded in 1971 by René Séverin-Doublet from Vertus, a young man, born in Rambervillers (Vosges Department) who was barely 40 when he took office. For more than 31 years the Group would prosper under his tenure, benefiting from his energy and moral integrity.
The Group’s principal activities are dispute resolution, handling relations with the MSA, social activities, harvest issues and professional training.
Employers now enjoy additional resources for hiring staff thanks to the SGV’s "Service aux Employeurs" (employer services), which works within the law, finance and social welfare division of the SGC to ensure a match between skills and jobs. SGV employer services use a variety of specialists to help winegrowers manage their workforce - some 6,000 salaried staff plus tens of thousands of seasonal workers (most notably the grape pickers who arrive at harvest time).
Extract from
"CENT ANS D’UNITE SYNDICALE" (one hundred years of trade union unity)
edited by the SGV (Syndicat Général des Vignerons)
Successive Groupement des Employeurs presidents :
2013 | Christophe Pernet | Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger |
2002 to 2012 | Christian Goutorbe | Damery |
1971 to 20022 | René Séverin-Doublet2 | Vertus |
1969 to 19712 | Rémy Paillard2 | Verzenay |