Over the last decades, more and more unions found themselves outside of the Spanish organization known as the CNT. In 1996, 14 unions were also expelled from CNT but they maintained the CNT name. They functioned as the CNT Catalunya for almost three decades. The CNT never made any lawsuits about the use of this name – until recently, when these reintegrated into the CNT-AIT. A number of other unions called CNT exist throughout the country. Joining CNT-AIT means that the Spanish section of CIT would sue them. Apparently, if they stay out of CNT-AIT, they are left alone.
This is very interesting and shows us just how much the lawsuits against the CNT-AIT are vindicative, against those who organized themselves outside of the authoritarian structures of the Spanish Section of CIT.

Last month, one of these organizations, the CNT Vigo, published the following text. This is the English translation.

WHEN THE WAVES TURN INTO STORMS (CNT-Vigo vs CNT-CIT)

Today is a day when betrayal and cynicism show their most disgusting face. The union that still calls itself CNT-CIT, an organization that long ago abandoned the founding principles of anarcho-syndicalism, has the audacity to denounce before the social court of the National Court 18 historic unions that carry in our DNA the true labor struggle . This commercial demand, in which they intend to claim 50,000 euros from us and take away the use of our acronym, is nothing more than a desperate act by those who, far from the libertarian ideology, cling to bureaucracy and legalism to try to crush what they cannot control.

But they will NOT succeed! The acronyms of the CNT belong to the working people, not to their bureaucratic machinery or to their vertical management. They belong to all the fighters who gave their blood and sweat in the factories, in the fields and in the streets, defending the ideals of freedom, justice and emancipation. They do not belong to those who turned the organization into another apparatus of the system it claims to fight, to those who now seek to enrich themselves by selling the historic premises that were built with the effort and sacrifice of all the members of the unions it denounces today. They want to strip us not only of our acronyms, but also of our collective heritage, sell the premises that are owned by the entire organized working class. They don't care about the legacy of those who fought and even died, only their petty interests.

The CNT-CIT today is a shadow of what it was. Their actions are proof that they have lost their way, alienated by the values ​​of capitalism they claim to fight. Instead of fighting the class enemy, they direct their attacks against those who remain faithful to the principles of anarcho-syndicalism: direct action, self-management and mutual support. To us, this acronym is much more than a trademark or a legal name. They represent the historic struggle for the liberation of the working class and the rejection of all centralized power.

This attempt to commercialize our struggle is a maneuver that tries to disguise its own failure. An organization that no longer represents workers, that has drifted into bureaucracy and authoritarianism and plays the same game of the system it aims to change, is not worthy of the acronym it uses. We, on the other hand, will continue to defend the values ​​of anarcho-syndicalism, because our struggle is not bought or sold. We will not give in to those who intend to turn into merchandise what has always been an instrument of liberation.

Not only do they intend to steal our acronyms and premises, but they are trying to silence our voice by threatening to make us pay an exorbitant debt of 50,000 euros to each of the 18 sued unions. But neither with demands, nor with economic threats, nor with judicial persecutions will they succeed in stopping us. We know who we are, we know what we stand for, and we will not bend to those who seek our ruin.

The path of anarcho-syndicalism is the constant struggle against all forms of oppression and exploitation, and that includes the attempts of those within the movement who betray its principles. The CNT acronym does not belong to any group of opportunists. They belong to the working class and its historical struggle, and for them we will fight to the end.

Our answer is clear: we will not be silenced. We will continue to do so under the banners we inherited from the colleagues who preceded us. Their mercantile demand will not stop us, because what is at stake is not just an acronym or an amount of money: what is at stake is the future of the struggle for the emancipation of the working class.
We openly denounce this act of cowardice, this betrayal of libertarian principles, and we reaffirm our commitment to all those who fight for the values ​​of solidarity, direct action and mutual support. We will not be stopped, we will not be silenced, and we will never sell our dignity or our history.

Against mercantilism, corruption and abuse of power, more anarcho-syndicalism!

Forward always!

Until the total triumph of the working class!!

Health, fight and anarchy!

CNT-Vigo