CUT Chile becomes the 59th member of the TUAC

The TUAC Plenary on December 15 adopted the formal admission of Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (Central Union Workers of Chile). In 2010, Chile had become a full member of the OECD, which has represented a major leap forward, especially the improvement of public policies in economic and social areas. After 7 years of the country’s formal entry into the organization, CUT Chile joins the TUAC to bring the voice of workers into international debates and use the tools and evidence based research of the OECD in order to improve the levels of social dialogue and the quality of life of workers.

Chile still has high levels of social inequality manifesting itself in the world of work. Unionization levels are low, approximately 11% or 12% of the labor force, but the levels of collective bargaining coverage are even lower, being approximately 8% or 9% of the total of Chilean workers. In the legal system, strikes continue to be recognized only during the collective bargaining process which is still concentrated within the company, preventing workers from being able to negotiate beyond the company, which is common in other OECD countries. This makes it difficult to organize and exercise rights enshrined in international ILO Conventions ratified by Chile.

According to the CUT Chile’s leadership in order to “advance towards the path of harmonious development, not only economic, but also social and environmental, our trade union center must be part of TUAC, so that from this space of social dialogue and trade union collaboration, Chilean workers can know and use the tools that international agreements provided to workers”.

The TUAC has already been working closely with CUT Chile before and especially in the preparations of last year’s MCM chaired by Chile and is looking forward to build on this and work closely together in the future.