Tackling Structural Labor Inequality in Chile: Insights from Sociologist Pablo Pérez

Original article: La clave para terminar con la desigualdad laboral estructural en Chile

Sociologist Pablo Pérez warns that union fragmentation and negotiation dynamics underpin the overwhelming power of businesses.

In an interview on the Pocastpitalismo program by Canal Ciudadano, Dr. Pablo Pérez Ahumada examined how Chile’s economic model has effectively neutralized workers’ power through laws that promote division. The University of Chile academic argued that the structure established during the dictatorship has transformed unions into «islands» with minimal capacity for influence, resulting in the absolute control of wealth by the business sector.

Pérez emphasized that the concept of «class» is essential for understanding social reality, as it delineates who works and who owns the means of production. He explained that recognizing one’s position allows for a comprehension of real collective interests, something the neoliberal project attempted to dismantle through José Piñera’s Labor Plan, strategically designed to fragment negotiations and prohibit effective strikes in key sectors.

The current paradox is that while Chile boasts over 11,000 unions, this figure signifies a profound weakness due to their dispersion and limited resources. «While workers negotiate company by company, employers operate united under the umbrella of the CPC,» Pérez stated, noting that employer unions act with a single voice and overwhelming power.

The sociologist identified various «resources of power» that the working class must reclaim, highlighting structural power derived from strategic positions in the economy and associative power. His analysis points out that the current institutional framework prevents unions from exercising basic rights that are the norm in Europe, where legislation facilitates the development of strong social movements capable of making a real impact.

Pérez also discussed the relationship between unions and politics, observing a growing demand for union autonomy in light of the abandonment by traditional parties. He criticized progressive forces for focusing on electoral mobilization while neglecting to build power «from below,» which has weakened workers’ ability to significantly challenge those who concentrate economic power.

As a solution to this crisis, the author of Class Power and Labor Politics proposes a legislative shift toward multi-level collective bargaining that combines economic and sectoral interests. Following the example of countries like Uruguay, Pérez urged the need to overcome voluntary fragmentation, asserting that it makes no sense for five central unions to exist, adding that «businesses have just as many, if not more, conflicting interests, starting from the fact that companies are competitors, yet they are still able to form business chambers» to defend their interests.

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