«What do the winka have to fear if the Mapuche unite?» Race, class and the Mapuche trade unionist struggle. Santiago, 1925-1980

Abstract

This article examines the historical development of Mapuche trade unionism in the baking industry during the 20thcentury in Santiago, Chile. We contend that this form of organization sought to resist the racism and labor conditions that Mapuche migrants to the city had to confront. In addition, we situate bakery trade unionism in the context of the broader history of political and organizational resistance to the multiple effects of Chilean colonia-lism, including the alienation resulting from forced migration, racializedlabor regimes, and anti-indigenous discrimination, which are also analyzed in the present text. Finally, we argue that the experience of the unionized Mapuche bakers brings together in a single strand the history of the workers’ movement and the history of the Mapuche during the 20th century