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Labor Relations Litigation: Chile, 1970-1972

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2024

Heleen F.P. Ietswaart
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Abstract

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On the basis of data dealing with the processing of labor grievances by state institutions in Chile in the period of 1970-1972, the author argues that litigiousness—the propensity to pursue grievances—was growing during that time. This increased litigiousness may be traced to the overall process of rapid sociopolitical change, in particular the growing political awareness of certain sectors of wage earners. The Labor Inspectorate responded positively to increased demand for justice, and encouraged socially well-focused grievance behavior by providing more adequate remedies. The labor courts, in contrast, were insensitive to the process of change. They showed no interest in developing an institutional assertiveness, either favoring or impeding aggrieved workers filing suit. Developments in litigiousness and litigation rates are analyzed in the light of the macro-social process of change that took place at the time.

Type
Research Article
Information
Law & Society Review , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , 1982 , pp. 625 - 668
Copyright
Copyright © 1982 The Law and Society Association.

Footnotes

*

This article is an adaptation of part of my dissertation, “The Handling of Dismissal Grievances in Chile: A Socio-Legal Study,” presented to Yale Law School. I am greatly indebted to Richard L. Abel, Donald Black, Fernando Cortes, Werner Ackerman, and three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

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