Los trabajadores que se organizan en la plaza: contra-movimiento de una fuente inesperada

Abstract

Informalization of the labor market has provoked counter-movements in many countries, despite the economic weakness of informal workers. In Mexico and the United States (where Latin American migrants occupy a large portion of informal Jobs) the most successful such counter-movements are self-organized movements in public spaces: street vendors in Mexico and day laborers in the US. This study uses case studies from the two countries to investigate the forms and strategies of these organizations, examining the sources of their success and the similarities and differences between the two. With sharp limits on their economic power, these workers pursue political strategies that conform to each movement’s distinct origins and to the two countries’ political systems.