Nature as a Constraint on Labour Agency: How Ecological Crises Change Union Trajectories in Chile’s Salmon Farming Industry

In order to broaden the discussion of labour agency constraints to include nature as a shaping force, this research examines how ecological crises affect labour agency in the Chilean salmon industry. The study uses a path-dependence methodology to provide an analysis of shifts in power resources. It concludes that the need to expand the commodity frontier following changes in production conditions due to crises forces capital to adapt its production processes and thus changes the structural conditions of labour agency. Workers must therefore adapt their strategies and actions. Specifically, associational power declined due to layoffs and the introduction of flexible contracts, leading to union depoliticisation. Societal power weakened as unions became more distanced from civil society. Institutional power was affected by a decline in legal mobilisation, and structural power by demands for specialised workers. These changes highlight the need for labour movements to integrate environmental concerns into their agendas.