ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to evaluate the political transformation that has been claimed for Guatemala since 1986 in light of its effects upon workers -- those who sow and harvest the fields, operate industrial machinery, build roads, or line the sidewalks seeking buyers for meager wares. It examines the human rights conditions of workers in Guatemala from a variety of perspectives. As in other Central American nations, in Guatemala the conception of “free labor” so fundamental to capitalist development did not gain favor until well into the twentieth century. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, Guatemalan industrial growth, spurred by the integration of regional economies through the Central American Common Market, gave rise to new and stronger organizations of industrial workers. During the late 1970’s union activity and organization again intensified, leading to dramatically increased repression against the labor and popular sectors after 1980. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
