Chavez and Labor

[YSR]

I remember hearing that Chavez dissolved the Venezuelan unions and combined them into one big national union. Is this true? What is the nature of this union? Is it under government supervision?

Some articles I have read implied that it was governmentally run, some not.

I'm just rather confused and would appreciate any assistance. My opinion of Chavez is rather favorable but if had nationalized the unions under his control, I would have a hard time supporting that.

[Morpheus]

No. Chavez's supporters set up an new alternative labor union, they didn't dissolve the old one. The old labor union was run by corrupt conservative bureaucrats who sided with the right-wing opposition against Chavez and, some have alleged, were on the US payroll. They tried to use their control of the union bureaucracy against the government, but failed. The new labor union now has many more workers in it than the old labor union, IIRC.