Building Power to Shape Labor Policy: Unions, Employer Associations, and Reform in Neoliberal Chile

I want to take one paragraph from the second chapter (Social debt, silent gift) from Clara Han’s compelling account of the braiding of care and violence in postPinochet neoliberal Chile and work out its implications for anthropology with regard to questions of social suffering, poverty, and how we may understand the pursuit of the good. The paragraph that occurs on page seventy-nine goes as follows: Later, when I asked Paloma who her friends were in the poblacion, she said to me, “Friends? I don’t have any friends. Susana is my friend. We share our intimacies. Friends are few, neighbors are many.” Indeed, such a sentiment was echoed to me by many women in La Pincoya. Only upon meditation upon the boundary between neighbors and friends did I begin to realize that the crucial difference between inhabiting friendship and neighborliness lay not in the perceptive ability of catching those signs of critical moments, such as the cry of Paloma’s hungry child, but in how that catching would be or could be addressed. To follow Han’s thought here it is necessary to step into the streets and houses that she describes in such depth and ask, what does she mean by “critical moments”? Understanding the critical moments in the life of a family requires that we shift scales and ask how economic precariousness is produced in the lives of the poor through the transformations in economic policy. As Han argues, the successive democratic governments in Chile continued with the “growth with equity” model of the Pinochet regime that was consistent with a neoliberal vision. This economic model had particularly perilous effects on the poor with its flexible labor regimes, shifts from permanent to temporary labor contracts, and easy availability of credit cards with high interest rates and punishing schedules of repayment. Though various successive governments recognized a social debt to the poor, welfare programs were decentralized with technologies of verification by social workers

Building Power to Shape Labor Policy: Unions, Employer Associations, and Reform in Neoliberal Chile By PabloPérez Ahumada, University of Pittsburgh Press, May 2023, 224 pp., ISBN: 9780822947691 (hardback), Price USD 55.00

Pérez Ahumada, Pablo (2023) Building Power to Shape Labor Policy: Unions, Employer Associations, and Reform in Neoliberal Chile, University of Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, PA), xiii + 224 pp. <scp>US</scp>$55.00 hdbk.

In the context of the restructuring of production and the emergence of more flexible work patterns, this article contributes to our understanding of changing workplace subjectivities under neoliberalism in contemporary Chile. Using research carried out by the authors, it describes the break-up of traditional ‘occupational identities’ that historically played a key role in shaping labour subjectivities in three key sectors of the Chilean economy—mining, retail and public service. These occupational identities, which combine forms of know-how, moral values, and a sense of belonging, still have an important symbolic weight in work experiences although they are under severe pressure from flexible reorganisation processes. The emergence of new, more individualised workplace subjectivities based on generic skills and geared to strategic mobility, is also described. The coexistence of both workplace subject profiles accounts for the complexities and heterogeneity of the processes of cultural and subjective change in the current world of work.

The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters created a sea of change in labour and race relations in the US. For the first time in US history, a black labour union played a central role in shaping labor and civil rights policy. Based on interviews and archival research, this new book tells the story of the union and its charismatic leader C.L. Dellums, starting from the BSCP's origins as the first national union of black workers in 1925. In 1937, the BSCP made history when it compelled one of the largest US corporations - the Pullman Company - to recognize and negotiate a contract with a black workers' union. C. L. Dellums was a leading civil rights activist as well as a labor leader. In 1948, he was chosen to be the first West Coast Regional Director of the NAACP. This book is an inspiring testament to both him and the unions transformative impact on US society.

Most of our labour policies were established in the early 1900s when the old world of work was vastly different from today's world of work. These differences are elaborated upon, as are the basic background factors that are shaping labour policy today. Ten key ingredients of labour policy appropriate to the new world of work are then outlined and illustrated with specific policy examples. The paper concludes with a checklist of questions to ask with respect to policy initiatives in the new world of work, as well as a list of research needs to guide policy formation in this area. The suggested ingredients of a new labour policy for the new world of work are substantially different than those that were appropriate for the old world of work.

The article evaluates labour law’s strategies of coping with the pressure put on its project of realizing justice by a hegemony of economic perspectives on labour markets. Its consequences for a methodology of labour law are set out by critically engaging with recent proposals made by Simon Deakin and Ruth Dukes. It is argued that a socio-historical perspective on the role of legal models in actually shaping labour relations can enrich the concept of a ‘labour constitution’.

The effects of globalization on labor standards and working conditions have been widely debated, with some arguing that globalization has improved labor standards and working conditions while others claim it has led to a deterioration of such standards. This paper aims to explore the effects of globalization on labor standards and working conditions. The study will examine the impact of globalization on the labor market, focusing on changes in labor laws and regulations, worker rights, and wages. The research will also investigate the impact of globalization on working conditions, including workplace safety and health, and the quality of jobs. Furthermore, the study will explore the role of multinational corporations in shaping labor standards and working conditions in different countries. The findings of this research will provide insights into the impact of globalization on labor standards and working conditions and will contribute to the ongoing debate on the implications of globalization for the labor market.&#x0D; Dhaka University Law Journal, 2023, 34 (2), 133-151

CEO identity and labor contracts: Evidence from CEO transitions

This chapter surveys the historical evolution of industrial relations, showing how the field advances when it tackles major societal challenges. It traces how scholars shape labor practices and policy during key moments—from the New Deal and public-sector unionization to waves of employer resistance. The chapter highlights how persistent management of opposition drives union decline, while innovations like the Scanlon Plan and interest-based bargaining reveal unions' potential to improve productivity and workplace relations. The chapter stresses the need to reimagine worker voices, experiment with alternative models of representation, and address inequality and outdated labor laws. Finally, the chapter calls for renewed labor–management partnerships and future research that enables the next generation of scholars and practitioners to adapt, innovate, and rebalance the employment relationship in a rapidly changing world.

В статье рассмотрено влияние генеративных технологий искусственного интеллекта на производительность труда и структуру занятости в организациях. Проанализированы результаты международных опросов McKinsey &amp; Company, представленные в отчёте AI Index 2025, с акцентом на ожидания работодателей в отношении изменения численности персонала и масштабов переподготовки работников в 2023–2024 годах. Проведено сравнение по отраслям и функциональным направлениям, определены сектора с наибольшей восприимчивостью к автоматизации и вероятностью роста занятости. Выявлена позитивная динамика в изменении восприятия последствий искусственного интеллекта, выраженная в снижении ожиданий масштабных сокращений и усилении внимания к мерам адаптации персонала. Показано, что уравнивающий эффект генеративного искусственного интеллекта способствует росту производительности у работников с более низким уровнем квалификации. Определена значимость искусственного интеллекта как инструмента снижения цифрового и профессионального неравенства. Методология исследования основана на вторичном анализе статистических данных, визуализации тенденций, содержательной интерпретации распределений и сопоставлении с результатами актуальных научных публикаций. Обоснована применимость полученных выводов для разработки государственной политики в области занятости и образования, особенно в контексте Казахстана. Предложены рекомендации по созданию программ переподготовки, мониторингу цифровых компетенций и использованию прогнозной аналитики в управлении человеческими ресурсами. Подтверждена необходимость дальнейших исследований, направленных на эмпирическую оценку трансформационных эффектов искусственного интеллекта в условиях цифровой экономики. This article examines the impact of generative artificial intelligence technologies on labor productivity and the employment structure within organizations. The study analyzes the results of international surveys conducted by McKinsey &amp; Company, as presented in the AI Index 2025 report, with a focus on employer expectations regarding changes in workforce size and the scale of employee reskilling in 2023–2024. A comparative analysis across industries and functional areas is conducted, identifying sectors most susceptible to automation and most likely to experience employment growth. A positive shift in the perception of AI-related consequences is identified, reflected in reduced expectations of large-scale job cuts and increased attention to workforce adaptation measures. The equalizing effect of generative artificial intelligence is demonstrated to enhance the productivity of lower-skilled workers. The importance of artificial intelligence as a tool for reducing digital and professional inequality is established. The research methodology is based on secondary analysis of statistical data, visualization of trends, interpretive analysis of distributions, and comparison with the findings of relevant academic publications. The applicability of the results for shaping labor and education policies is substantiated, particularly in the context of Kazakhstan. Recommendations are proposed for the development of reskilling programs, digital skills monitoring, and the use of predictive analytics in human resource management. The need for further empirical studies aimed at evaluating the transformative effects of artificial intelligence in the digital economy is confirmed.

Plantation workers have seemingly little opportunities for labour agency, defined as the worker’s ability to act and improve their conditions. In response to a call for a better understanding of the horizontal dimension shaping labour agency, this article questions what local factors determine the worker’s ability to act by analysing the institutional constraints embedded in the national context through a mixed methods approach. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data is used to understand what shapes and constrains the potential for labour agency in the case of plantation workers in the pineapple sector of Costa Rica. We provide new empirical evidence of the relation between the local opportunity structure—proxied by perceived job security and union awareness—and labour agency in terms of a worker’s intention to choose forthright (voice), evasive (exit) or repressed (loyalty) actions. The model results indicate that a lack of job security and a lack of union awareness significantly reduce the likelihood to use forthright actions (such as voicing concerns, striking or joining a union) compared to evasive (such as leaving the job) or repressed actions (such as doing nothing). In addition, the qualitative analysis of the local opportunity structure identifies four institutional constraints: weak employment protection, vulnerability of migrant workers, limited workers’ representation and insufficient labour law enforcement. Besides overcoming these institutional constraints, empowering workers to make their voices heard also requires awareness raising about their collective bargaining rights and more job security.

This article explores the crucial role of the judiciary in shaping labour jurisprudence and catalyzing change in the workplace. By examining the interpretations, rulings, and legal precedents established by courts, the article highlights how the judiciary influences labour laws and impacts the employer-employee relationship. It emphasizes the proactive role of the judiciary in interpreting statutes, developing legal precedents, and balancing the interests of both parties. Additionally, the article discusses the transformative impact of judicial decisions on the workplace, including the establishment of legal rights, influencing employer practices, and fostering compliance with labour standards. Overall, the article emphasizes the significance of the judicial role in driving positive changes in the workplace.

Excerpt] In June 1993, the Industrial Union Department (IUD) of the AFL-CIO initiated a project to gather cases from affiliated unions that would highlight aspects of the National Labor Relations Board process deserving attention from those shaping labor law reform proposals. Based on the cases submitted, we conclude that in its current form the National Labor Relations Act serves to impede union organizing. Particularly problematic are NLRB policies that allow employers to wage no-holds-barred antiunion campaigns. Even where there are legal restrictions on specific actions, the penalties for violations are so meager that they serve no deterrent effect. The cases described below cover many industries, all parts of the country, large units and small, and collectively suggest that union busting has become the convention among U.S. employers.

Labour relations in the silver mines of Potosí are almost synonymous with the mita, a system of unfree work that lasted from the end of the sixteenth century until the beginning of the nineteenth century. However, behind this continuity there were important changes, but also other forms of work, both free and self-employed. The analysis here is focused on how the “polity” contributed to shape labour relations, especially from the end of the seventeenth century and throughout the eighteenth century. This article scrutinizes the labour policies of the Spanish monarchy on the one hand, which favoured certain economic sectors and regions to ensure revenue, and on the other the initiatives both of mine entrepreneurs and workers – unfree, free, and self-employed – who all contributed to changing the system of labour.