There is a large body of literature examining the Chilean military regime's effects on workers, firms, and the labor movement. However, few studies examine the experiences and actions of specific groups of workers. This article analyzes the trajectory of the blue collar union at MADECO, S.A., from 1973 to the present. It uses ethnographic, in-depth interview, and archival methods. The study examines the causes and consequences of the 1983 strike at MADECO. It also contributes to the debate within historical sociology between those supporting the development of general models based on rational choice theory and others who emphasize the particularities of historical events and theirmultiple causes. The article demonstrates that distinct groups of events catalyzed the strike and that this conflict had unintended consequences for the firm and its workers. The results help understand the cultural transformation of MADECO workers and illustrate the value of an approach to understanding particular historical events that identifies their complex causes.
Stillerman, J. (2005). Continuidades, rupturas y coyunturas en la transformación de los obreros de Madeco S.A., 1973-2003. Política. Revista De Ciencia Política, 44, pp. 165–196. Retrieved from https://revistapolitica.uchile.cl/index.php/RP/article/view/26006
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