PresidentBacheletsigns thelabor reform billthat strengthenscollective bargaining on December 29, 2014. (Photo: Ministerio de Agricultura Chile/flickr/cc)
Dec 30, 2014
Chile's center-left president Michelle Bachelet, who took office in March promising to push a progressive platform, introduced new legislation Monday seeking to reform the labor code, boost union power, and reduce the gap between the rich and poor in a nation beset by severe income inequality.
"Today we are marking a new milestone, building the country that we wish--we are clearing a debt that we have...toward the workers of Chile," the president said in a speech at the presidential palace in Santiago. "In a democratic society, [economic] growth and equity need to go hand in hand in order to ensure a future of prosperity, but also of legitimacy and social cohesion."
According to TeleSur:
The legislation includes various measures empowering workers such as strengthening unions, increasing collective negotiations, and ending the practice of replacing workers on strikes (referred to as scabs).
Bachelet also mentioned fair remuneration, work security, training, protection in case of unemployment, fairer work relations with employers and simplification of collective negotiation.
If passed, Bachelet's proposal will be the first major change to labor laws since the military regime of Augusto Pinochet, who ruled the country between 1973 and 1990, Barbara Figueroa, head of the Central Workers Union, toldRadio Cooperativa on Monday. Figueroa called the proposed changes "an enormous step toward social equality."
"We've waited more than 20 years for this small step," she said. "We have started to dismantle the labor plan of the military regime."
The Wall Street Journal reported that "Bachelet's backers have a majority in Congress, where the labor law changes must be passed, but conservative legislators could force the administration to water down the proposal," which will be debated in 2015. Business leaders also oppose Bachelet's plan.
But the reforms could serve as a model for other Latin American countries--such as Peru, where for the past week, youth, students, and labor activists have been protesting recently passed legislation they say discriminates against all those under the age of 25 by taking away a number of rights at work such as vacation time and reducing minimum wage salaries.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Chile's center-left president Michelle Bachelet, who took office in March promising to push a progressive platform, introduced new legislation Monday seeking to reform the labor code, boost union power, and reduce the gap between the rich and poor in a nation beset by severe income inequality.
"Today we are marking a new milestone, building the country that we wish--we are clearing a debt that we have...toward the workers of Chile," the president said in a speech at the presidential palace in Santiago. "In a democratic society, [economic] growth and equity need to go hand in hand in order to ensure a future of prosperity, but also of legitimacy and social cohesion."
According to TeleSur:
The legislation includes various measures empowering workers such as strengthening unions, increasing collective negotiations, and ending the practice of replacing workers on strikes (referred to as scabs).
Bachelet also mentioned fair remuneration, work security, training, protection in case of unemployment, fairer work relations with employers and simplification of collective negotiation.
If passed, Bachelet's proposal will be the first major change to labor laws since the military regime of Augusto Pinochet, who ruled the country between 1973 and 1990, Barbara Figueroa, head of the Central Workers Union, toldRadio Cooperativa on Monday. Figueroa called the proposed changes "an enormous step toward social equality."
"We've waited more than 20 years for this small step," she said. "We have started to dismantle the labor plan of the military regime."
The Wall Street Journal reported that "Bachelet's backers have a majority in Congress, where the labor law changes must be passed, but conservative legislators could force the administration to water down the proposal," which will be debated in 2015. Business leaders also oppose Bachelet's plan.
But the reforms could serve as a model for other Latin American countries--such as Peru, where for the past week, youth, students, and labor activists have been protesting recently passed legislation they say discriminates against all those under the age of 25 by taking away a number of rights at work such as vacation time and reducing minimum wage salaries.
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Chile's center-left president Michelle Bachelet, who took office in March promising to push a progressive platform, introduced new legislation Monday seeking to reform the labor code, boost union power, and reduce the gap between the rich and poor in a nation beset by severe income inequality.
"Today we are marking a new milestone, building the country that we wish--we are clearing a debt that we have...toward the workers of Chile," the president said in a speech at the presidential palace in Santiago. "In a democratic society, [economic] growth and equity need to go hand in hand in order to ensure a future of prosperity, but also of legitimacy and social cohesion."
According to TeleSur:
The legislation includes various measures empowering workers such as strengthening unions, increasing collective negotiations, and ending the practice of replacing workers on strikes (referred to as scabs).
Bachelet also mentioned fair remuneration, work security, training, protection in case of unemployment, fairer work relations with employers and simplification of collective negotiation.
If passed, Bachelet's proposal will be the first major change to labor laws since the military regime of Augusto Pinochet, who ruled the country between 1973 and 1990, Barbara Figueroa, head of the Central Workers Union, toldRadio Cooperativa on Monday. Figueroa called the proposed changes "an enormous step toward social equality."
"We've waited more than 20 years for this small step," she said. "We have started to dismantle the labor plan of the military regime."
The Wall Street Journal reported that "Bachelet's backers have a majority in Congress, where the labor law changes must be passed, but conservative legislators could force the administration to water down the proposal," which will be debated in 2015. Business leaders also oppose Bachelet's plan.
But the reforms could serve as a model for other Latin American countries--such as Peru, where for the past week, youth, students, and labor activists have been protesting recently passed legislation they say discriminates against all those under the age of 25 by taking away a number of rights at work such as vacation time and reducing minimum wage salaries.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.