Union renewal in Chile and the rate of surplus value : a Marxist approach

In Chile during the period 2006-2016, workers' organization and industrial insurgency grew, especially in the export sectors of the economy. The conventional approach has labeled this period as one of union renewal since rank-and-file organizations involved measures such as strikes and raised union density. This article raises the question of how exploitation could increase despite the presence of active rank-and-file movements during this period and investigates why union renewal is not accompanied by substantive improvements for the working class. This topic is of fundamental importance from a Marxist standpoint and adds more complexity to the understanding of the scope of union renewal in a particular country at a specific time.