Limits to the revitalization of labor: Social movement unionism in Argentina

This dissertation analyzes the emergence and stagnation of social movement unionism (SMU) in Argentina. It affirms that it is not necessarily expanding political opportunities but also threat which generates social movements. It argues that the formation of the CTA (The Argentine Workers Center) was driven by neoliberal threat and closing political opportunities. Due to sectoral and legal constraints, this split-off confederation was born with weak structural power which prevented it from constructing a broad front against the neoliberal threat. When this independent unionism failed through conventional militancy and organizational strategies, it evolved into SMU. In this way, SMU helped to compensate its structural weakness with an extreme opening to non-union organizations which, in turn, provided the CTA new resources and repertoires of actions.;This dissertation also examines the limits of SMU in the present context, in which most labor organizations are deprived of their structural power in the workplace or in the labor market. This major difference from the successful first generation of SMU indicates that too much reliance on external allies and the lack of structural power makes contemporary SMU vulnerable in the face of changing political opportunity structure.;In the case of the CTA, SMU success was initially based on a balanced set of political openings. The replacement of this condition with an extreme political opening for some segments of the CTA divided the Argentine SMU. In the post-2003 conditions the threat which had previously galvanized SMU has declined. Emerging political openings, such as a new government that appeals to some sectors of the CTA, and recovering economic conditions revealed the flaws of the alliances built through SMU. Moreover, while the economy recovered, the CTA's weak structural power which is reproduced through a number of static legal and sectoral constraints prevented them from taking advantage of some political opportunities.;This dissertation argues that political opportunities may also weaken coalitional movements. It contends, therefore, that recent theories of the SMU overvalue alliances and community support. It posits, in particular, these theories underestimate the significance of the structural power of union organizations in the workplace and the marketplace for their goal achievements and the strength of the movement.