Labor conflict in the New Public Education. Barrancas: 2018-2021

Abstract

One of the main reforms of the second government of Michelle Bachelet (2014-2018) was the New Public Education, which sought to transfer educational establishments from the municipal administration to the so-called Local Education Services, decentralized public entities that house schools of several adjoining communes. Various social movements for decades had been demanding a process of demunicipalization, where the State would once again assume its educational responsibility. However, when analyzing the experience of one of the first Local Services to start up (Barrancas), there is a high level of labour conflict and criticism from education workers regarding this process, questioning the public nature of this reform and the role of the State in the administration of schools. To develop this research, we have relied on the review of the local press and interviews with workers affiliated with the various associations of Barrancas.