Changes in Relations Between the State and Independent Unions? Mexico Under the Fox Presidency‪.‬

Abstract. This article seeks to clarify whether Mexico's democratic transition of 2000 and the subsequent four years of the Fox government have yielded significant modifications in patterns of exchanges and linkages of power between the state and independent labour unions (ILU)--that is, those labour organizations that were not part of the corporatist framework underpinning the 1929-2000 civilian authoritarian regime. Results indicate that there have been few concrete changes in state-ILU relations, despite this transition. This is due in particular to the continuation of the Federal Labour Law and the manner in which the Fox government has implemented it, perpetuating limitations placed by the previous regime on the workers' freedoms of association and organization, as well as on their right to strike. Nonetheless, findings also suggest that Fox's administration ended the political marginalization of independent unions by allowing them to play an enhanced--if limited--role in Mexico's political dynamics. Resume. Cet article analyse l'impact de la transition democratique du Mexique sur la dynamique des relations entre l'Etat et les syndicats independants (ILU)--i.e. les syndicats qui ne participerent pas au systeme corporatiste en place durant le regime civil-autoritaire de 1929-2000. Cette etude demontre qu'il n'y a pas eu de changements marques dans les relations Etat-ILU depuis la transition de 2000. Ceci est particuliement attribuable a la perduration de la Loi Federale du Travail, et a la facon dont le gouvernment Fox l'a appliquee, perpetuant ainsi les restrictions placees par le regime precedent sur les libertes d'association et d'organisation, de meme que sur le droit de greve des travailleurs. Cependant, cet article indique que l'administration Fox a mis fin a la marginalisation politique des syndicats independants en leur permettant de jouer un role accru--quoique toujours limite--dans le processus politique Mexicain.