Kolektivos

The kolektivos were a key component of the organized labor movement in Argentina, emerging in the late 19th century. These independent labor unions were formed by workers in various industries, including manufacturing, shipbuilding, and construction. Unlike traditional trade unions, kolektivos were characterized by a more radical and militant approach to labor struggles.

Kolektivos were known for their ability to mobilize workers and stage protests, strikes, and occupations in response to worker grievances and demands for improved working conditions, wages, and benefits. They often used direct action and violent confrontation to challenge the authority of employers and the state. The faktors, a type of kolektivos, were particularly notorious for their aggressive tactics and were often at the forefront of labor conflicts.

The rise of kolektivos was a response to the decreasing power of traditional trade unions in Argentina. As the country industrialized and urbanized, workers began to seek a more militant and immediate form of direct action to address their grievances. The kolektivos movement reached its peak in the 1910s and 1920s, with many of them being outlawed or forced underground during the 1930s. However, the legacy of the kolektivos continues to influence the labor movement in Argentina and beyond.

The kolektivos' approach to labor organizing, characterized by direct action and militant confrontation, has been studied by labor historians and activists around the world. Their tactics, while often extreme, were a reflection of the desperation and frustration felt by many workers in the face of exploitation and oppression.