In 1947, the Confederation of Independent Labor (Confédération du travail indépendant, CTI) was founded but suffered from power struggles and splits.
The CTI included former communist unionists, activists from the Syndicats movement led by René Belin, and members of the Rally of the French People (RPF), the party created by General Charles de Gaulle.
Under the leadership of Jacques Simakis, the CFT maintained close ties to right-wing organizations, including the Service d'action civique (SAC).
During the events of May 1968, the CFT opposed strikes and organized "freedom of work" pickets, notably in the Simca Poissy factory.
After losing funding from the city of Paris following the defeat of the RPR in the 2001 municipal elections, the CSL dissolved in October 2002.