Trade unions in Andorra
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Trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
s in
Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...
have had a brief existence, with the first
trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
, the
Andorran Workers' Union The Andorran Workers' Union is a Trade union in the Principality of Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto ...
(AWU), being formed in 1990. The history of foreign trade unionism's involvement and effect on Andorran Politics can be traced to 1933


The Revolution of 1933


The FHASA Strikes

The Revolution of 1933 is otherwise referred to and known as the "huelgas de FHASA" or the "FHASA strikes". The FHASA is a company that was created with the intention of building a hydroelectric plant in Andorra and help Andorran employment. Andorra wanted to bring in Industrialization. The revolution of 1933 can be seen as a followup to the revolution of 1881. Andorra had been operating under a decommodified society of economy that revolved around the pre-industrial economy throughout the 19th century. This pre-industrial economic model continued and overtime more Andorran citizens became vocal about their discontent with their country's Economy calling for reform in their government. Social unrest grew and led to the beginnings of the revolution of 1881. The revolution of 1881 signifying a new turning point in the Andorran political sphere, driving Andorran representatives in the General Council (Andorran Parliament) to look for alternative Economic models like
industrialization Industrialisation ( alternatively spelled industrialization) is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial society. This involves an extensive re-organisation of an econo ...
, in order to bring about Economic resurgence. However, the government's interventions in the economy during this time period led to a furthermore damaged the Andorran economy. With the turn of the 20th century, it is viewed that little progress was made since the 1881 revolution because nearly the same representatives were in the same seats of the General Council. These particular members of the General Council turned to the creation of an electric company known as FHASA in order to take steps towards the industrialization and stabilization of the economy.Manual de Segona Ensenyança: Andorra al segle XX, Ministeri d'Educació, Joventut i Esports, 1996 The General Council asked FHASA to make Andorran citizens priority in the hiring process in order to reach an economic stability of Andorran households. However, labor jobs ended up consisting of a variety of people, a mix of
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
,
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, Galician, and
Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
. However, most of the technical well paying jobs belonged to Swiss. Many people of the Andorran public consequently marched. The mass of discontented people had alarmed the General Council to create Andorra's first police force in response to the protests to use as well as whenever it was deemed necessary, known as the Order Service in 1931. In the same year following Order Service's creation, the General Council passed another law establishing the creation of a registry where all foreigners would be recorded, as the country's first attempt at regulating immigration. Andorra's neighbors had also been undergoing a political transformation of their time known as the
Labor Movement The labour movement or labor movement consists of two main wings: the trade union movement (British English) or labor union movement (American English) on the one hand, and the political labour movement on the other. * The trade union movement ...
. This furthermore cultivated the Andorran Citizens feelings towards reform amid political change. And due to growing poverty levels in Catalonia and France, the people upset with the state of their economy had mobilized and created their respective country's first unions. Andorran workers belonged to some of these Unions, such as the “Confederació Regional del Treball catalana”, otherwise known as a subsidiary branch of the CNT (el sindicat anarquista). This great membership of another Union outside of Andorra having influence on another country created problems for the General Council's leaders that held the beliefs of foreign workers not having labor rights. The council members also had not fully shared the ideas their workers. Andorran workers had steadily become more influential due to their cooperation as a growing political group of people known as d'Unió Andorrana (Andorran Union, advocating universal male suffrage,
Labor rights Labor rights or workers' rights are both legal rights and human rights relating to labor relations between workers and employers. These rights are codified in national and international labor and employment law. In general, these rights influen ...
, and the right to an education). But The Andorran Union was not influential enough to reform the government on its own through the Andorran Political System. All workers, native and foreign, had advocated for worker rights and expected the government to meet their demands, but they had not. This led to an escalation led to the first strike of FHASA workers occurring in 1931. Strikes continued to 1933 until the General Council, with the assistance of the French police force, had begun to quell the protests. The demands rose out of anger against the poor working conditions that laborers were in due to the lack of existing legislation within the government that could serve as protection for workers against firms intending to abuse their power over employees. The employers such as the FHASA could change the employee's working conditions without consensus. Employees consequently received less than a livable wage, had increased work hours leading to an upset workforce banding together to voice their discontent.


Foreign Trade Unions in Andorran Politics (1970 - 1993)

Andorra had an increasing amount of foreign workers who joined Trade unions in their respective country. These trade unions from Spain and France had then advocated for the rights of their member workers in Andorra. Andorra accepted the UN's Universal Declaration for Human Rights (
UDHR The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, i ...
) in April 1988. The UDHR describes “everyone has the right to form and join trade unions” in Article 23 Section 4. And because both sides of Andorra's borders had the nations of Spain and France forming unions with twenty thousand “guest workers” in Andorra, their respective unions advocated the laborer's given freedom of expression and right to strike as well as form unions. If Andorra accepts and acknowledges the right to form unions, then these Unions would then be able to negotiate with the firms employing the guest workers. This development of foreign workers advocating for worker rights led to their Andorran native fellow workers also pushing for their own rights as a laborer and demanding their rights of freedom of expression. This social development led to the General Council deciding to go back on the country's acceptance of the UDHR in order to maintain the status quo. This impending issue only grew in time since there was increasing amounts of immigration. Drastic increases in immigration over the years only made the workers' more vocal and prominent in their demands as the population spiked advocating for their workers rights. Andorra had passed increasing amounts immigration control precautions since their first anti-immigration reform of regulating immigration. Until 1970, only male third generation Andorran citizens above the age of twenty-five were allowed to vote. But in the year of 1970, the law became more inclusive by changing, allowing second generation Andorran citizens to vote, male or female. In 1977, Part of the Andorran Political referendum included first-generation citizens twenty-eight and older were given the right to vote. And in the year 1985, second generation citizens were allowed to be as young as twenty-one and have the right to vote. Andorra would later be called to create a written constitution that included the right of association and easier access to citizenship with the intervention of
The Council of Europe's Commission for Political Affairs ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
, in order to embody citizen's rights. called rescinding the initial acceptance of the UDHR in 1988, the General Council reiterated the ban on Unions and warned foreign workers would be expelled from the country if any worker joined a Union. In 1989 a referendum was called. The Constitution of 1993 for Andorra permits the joining of unions for Andorran residents, as well as the organization of political parties.


Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...
Modern Day

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...
is not a member of the
International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and o ...
and
ICTUR The International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR) is "an organizing and campaigning body with the fundamental purpose of defending and improving the rights of trade unions and trade unionists throughout the world." ICTUR has accredited status ...
reports that the
Constitution of Andorra The Constitution of Andorra ( ca, Constitució d'Andorra) is the supreme law of the Principality of Andorra. It was adopted on 2 February 1993 and given assent by the Andorran people in a referendum on 14 March 1993. According to the Constitution ...
recognizes general trade union rights, but there is no legal protection against anti-union activities, nor is the right to strike explicitly confirmed.


See also

Politics of Andorra The politics of Andorra take place in a framework of a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, and a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government, with the Head of Government of Andorra as chief executive. Legislative power i ...
Human Rights in Andorra Human Rights in Andorra are guaranteed under the Andorran constitution. The State Department considers Andorra to have few human rights concerns. Respect for the Integrity of the Person The constitution and law prohibit Torture and Other Cruel, ...


References

{{Trade unions in Europe