Thousands March in Chile, Accusing Kast Government of Threatening Social Rights

Santiago, Chile – On International Workers' Day, a powerful wave of protest swept through the heart of Chile's capital as tens of thousands mobilized against what they perceive as an "anti-popular and anti-worker agenda" under the government of José Antonio Kast.

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We denounce the anti-popular and anti-worker agenda of the current government, which has favored the richest by seeking to lower their taxes and passing the cost of the oil crisis onto the working class.

The march, organized by major labor unions, was a clear denunciation of austerity policies that demonstrators argue disproportionately burden the working class while favoring the wealthy. Eric Campos, the general secretary of the Unitary Workers' Central (CUT), articulated this sentiment, stating, "We denounce the anti-popular and anti-worker agenda of the current government, which has favored the richest by seeking to lower their taxes and passing the cost of the oil crisis onto the working class."

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We want to stop the anguish generated by these announcements, the cuts to plans and decrees that allow abusive application in terms of reducing working hours.

This sentiment was amplified by recent fuel price hikes, which have ignited public anger and led to initial protests against the administration. The demonstrators voiced their anguish over these price increases and expressed deep concern about proposed cuts to social programs and regulations that could lead to the abusive application of reduced working hours. The government's recent announcement of significant budget cuts to the Ministry of Social Development and Family, impacting programs for children and youth, has further fueled the discontent, despite assurances that core social benefits remain untouched.

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Our payments have decreased since the pandemic, it is one of the most precarious sectors and absorbs the unemployment generated by the local and global context. We want to move towards strong labor regulation.

The mobilization, the first major demonstration of public rejection during the Kast era, spanned nearly two kilometers and proceeded peacefully. It brought together a diverse coalition of workers from various sectors, including retail, mining, construction, healthcare, public services, and education. Notably, the Chilean Delivery Workers' Union also participated, highlighting the precarious conditions and declining wages faced by a rapidly growing segment of the workforce, many of whom are women lacking social security and formal contracts. Their call for strong labor regulation resonates with a broader demand for greater worker protections in an increasingly informalized economy, where informality has reached 26.5%.

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We are mostly women, without social security or employment contract, the invisible of the invisible.