General Workers' Union (Argentina)
Encyclopedia
The General Workers' Union was an Argentine
national
labor confederation
from 1903 to 1909.
It was founded in 1903 as a rival to the country's first national labor confederation, the Argentine Workers' Federation (FOA), known as the Argentine Regional Workers' Federation (FORA) from 1905. Around this time, the FOA had become more openly anarchist, leading to tension between the socialist syndicalists and the anarchists in the federation. The UGT was thus founded by the former and it was more moderate than its predecessor. Unlike the FOA, it did not discourage participation in elections and encouraged its members to become Argentine citizens - as the majority of the Argentine working class at the time consisted of European immigrants
who were thus disenfranchised. Nonetheless, it claimed that general strike
"can be an effective means of struggle", but rejected starting it for "violent ends". This position became more radical in the following years as the relations between the syndicalists in the UGT and the Socialist Party
became more strained, and in 1906 the UGT declared that the general strike was "an arm of struggle of superior effectiveness".
The UGT had 7,500 members in 1904, membership peaked at 10,000 in 1906. Despite the two organizations' rivalry, there was a lot of cooperation between the FORA and the UGT. Together, they fought against the 1902 Residence Law, which allowed the expulsion of subversive aliens and collaborated on many strikes. On the local level, the cooperation was even more intense. During its last years of existence, the UGT was unable to gain members. Therefore it merged with the more moderate syndicalists in the FORA in 1909, to form the Argentine Regional Workers' Confederation (CORA).
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
national
National trade union center
A national trade union center is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a single country. Nearly every country in the world has a national trade union center, and many have more than one. When there is more than one national center, it is often because of ideological differences—in some...
labor confederation
Trade unions in Argentina
Trade unions in Argentina have traditionally played a strong role in the politics of the nation. The largest trade union association, the Confederación General del Trabajo has been a force since the 1930s, and approximately 40% of workers in the formal economy are unionized.- The FORA :The...
from 1903 to 1909.
It was founded in 1903 as a rival to the country's first national labor confederation, the Argentine Workers' Federation (FOA), known as the Argentine Regional Workers' Federation (FORA) from 1905. Around this time, the FOA had become more openly anarchist, leading to tension between the socialist syndicalists and the anarchists in the federation. The UGT was thus founded by the former and it was more moderate than its predecessor. Unlike the FOA, it did not discourage participation in elections and encouraged its members to become Argentine citizens - as the majority of the Argentine working class at the time consisted of European immigrants
Immigration to Argentina
Immigration in Argentina, can be divided in several major stages:* Spanish colonization starting in the 16th century, integrating the indigenous inhabitants ....
who were thus disenfranchised. Nonetheless, it claimed that general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
"can be an effective means of struggle", but rejected starting it for "violent ends". This position became more radical in the following years as the relations between the syndicalists in the UGT and the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Argentina)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in Argentina. The history of socialism in Argentina began in the 1890s, when a group of people, notably Juan B. Justo, expressed the need for a greater social focus....
became more strained, and in 1906 the UGT declared that the general strike was "an arm of struggle of superior effectiveness".
The UGT had 7,500 members in 1904, membership peaked at 10,000 in 1906. Despite the two organizations' rivalry, there was a lot of cooperation between the FORA and the UGT. Together, they fought against the 1902 Residence Law, which allowed the expulsion of subversive aliens and collaborated on many strikes. On the local level, the cooperation was even more intense. During its last years of existence, the UGT was unable to gain members. Therefore it merged with the more moderate syndicalists in the FORA in 1909, to form the Argentine Regional Workers' Confederation (CORA).