The Book
In praise of Blogging the Revolution
“Caracas Chronicles has been an indispensable source of lucidity and perspective in these turbulent times in Venezuela. Toro and Nagel have been right on target, without pretending to be ludicrously impartial; they have been able to rise above polarization, trying hard to make sense of an often implausible reality. Blogging the Revolution shows them at their best. If you are not already a fan, you will become one.”
- Francisco J. Monaldi, RFK Visiting Professor at Harvard Kennedy School and Director, Center on Energy at IESA in Caracas.Recent Comments
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Category Archives: Labor Movement
Workplace bullying as public policy
In the last few days, mutiple press reports indicate that some public sector workers have been fired and others have suffered harassment because of their political stance after the presidential election. Audio clips of several heads of public bodies (like … Continue reading
The Cosa Nostrification of Construction Workers’ Unions
José Torres, head of the Valencia Subway workers’ union (seen on the photograph) died yesterday of his injuries after been shot outside of his house two weeks ago. Two weeks before his shooting, he publicly denounced the slow pace of … Continue reading
Posted in Human Rights, In Other News, Labor Movement, Society
23 Comments
A whole LOTTT of labor absenteeism
The case of ice cream maker EFE is not unique. Since the new Labor Law (LOTTT) was approved last year, labor absenteeism in Venezuela has increased alarmingly. A report in El Nacional shows that some companies are facing 46% of workers’ … Continue reading
Posted in Labor Movement, Society, The Economy
35 Comments
Zero hour for public transportation
Right now, public transportation buses in Barquisimeto (called the rutas) has the words hora 0 (zero hour) written in all their side windows. Those words indicate the possibility of a strike. The reasons behind it vary: from the lack of … Continue reading
Posted in In Other News, infrastructure, Labor Movement, Society
4 Comments
The red scissors are coming too
The upcoming paquetazo could be coming in more ways than one. After the Chavernment’s Finance Minister hinted at the possibility of future tax hikes, the National Assembly is now saying it could take a look at how to reduce the large … Continue reading
Posted in In Other News, Labor Movement, The Economy
15 Comments
Another Wildcat Strike in Sidor
The good news is that raising hell at that cadena in Caruachi a few weeks back paid off: talks on a collective bargaining agreement have finally been launched – 28 months behind schedule. The bad news is that the rank-and-file … Continue reading
Chavista oil workers threaten…a paro!
So, with this forthright, very explicit statement refusing to countenance working under a Capriles administration, aren’t PDVSA’s chavista unions in Zulia basically threatening a paro petrolero!? ¡Ni un paso atrás, no joda! It’s worth bearing in mind, though, as a … Continue reading
Posted in Chavismo, Labor Movement, Oil
SIDOR goes into collision course
After Ferrominera’s internal election, the situation inside Guayana’s empresas básicas is getting more intense by the day. Steel-maker SIDOR is undergoing big change. Rafael Gil Barrios, current president of the CVG state conglomerate is the new head of SIDOR, on a “temporary” … Continue reading
Posted in Labor Movement, Politics, Society, The Economy
How to Flout the Layoff Freeze and Live to Tell the Tale
Unpaid severance pay? Mass layoffs? In direct contravention of the inamovilidad laboral decrees? Man, these guys are so getting expropriated! …oh, wait.
Posted in Labor Movement, The Economy
Guayana’s Other Rubén
The last three years have been hard for Guayana union leader Rubén González: In August 2009, as leader of the main workers’ union at Ferrominera Orinoco, he led a protest that led to an agreement with the company. It didn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Human Rights, Labor Movement, Prisons
Balance Sheet Kryptonite
It’s quite amazing: one of the biggest economic reforms of the last 14 years is to be unveiled today or tomorrow and, even now, the public has no real idea what it will say. Chávez’s long delayed reform the Organic … Continue reading
Chavez’s solution for workers: More public holidays
Two things are for sure about the upcoming Labor Law: it will be approved via Chávez’s Enabling Law powers to legislate by decree and it will be rolled out by Workers’ Day. The rest of it, including of course all the content, … Continue reading
Posted in Labor Movement, Politics, Society, The Economy
34 Comments
Searching for black ink, but finding red
Ever wonder how all those chavista companies are doing? Do they make enough to even pay their bills? How much did they really cost? Are the workers there … happy? Well, economists Richard Obuchi, Anabella Abadí and Bárbara Lira did, … Continue reading
Breaking the Unions (updated)
by Moraima García Yesterday, a Venezuelan judge sentenced union leader Rubén González to seven years in prison. His crime? Helping to organize a strike to demand unpaid back wages. Once again, the case shines a spotlight on the twisted inner … Continue reading
