The Greening of Underground and Antifrancoist Working Class Movement and the limits of Trade Unionism and Enviromentalism nexus in Spain (1967-1977).

This paper explores the intersection of environmentalism and underground working-class movement in Spain during the final years of Franco’s dictatorship. It also examines how industrialization and the Francoist regime’s developmental policies, which led to severe environmental degradation, fueled o...

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Main Author: Pablo Corral Broto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) 2025-05-01
Series:Revista Mundos do Trabalho
Subjects:
Online Access:https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/mundosdotrabalho/article/view/102069
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author Pablo Corral Broto
author_facet Pablo Corral Broto
author_sort Pablo Corral Broto
collection DOAJ
description This paper explores the intersection of environmentalism and underground working-class movement in Spain during the final years of Franco’s dictatorship. It also examines how industrialization and the Francoist regime’s developmental policies, which led to severe environmental degradation, fueled opposition among the working class, especially in industrial regions and in Aragon, our regional case. The research highlights the paradox of workers opposing the very industries that provide their livelihood, driven by the deteriorating living conditions due to industrial pollution and poor urban planning. It outlines how environmental protest, often indicated by women and local communities, became a platform for broader anti-Francoist opposition. The paper discusses key events, such as anti-pollution urban working-class campaigns and resistance against large infrastructures projects like dams and nuclear plants in Aragon, which were linked to the regime’s modernization efforts. We develop a regional approach, focusing on Aragon, due to the availability of local archives and detailed data they provide about environmental discourses and actions. This method allows for a nuanced understanding of how environmental conflicts and working-class opposition to Francoism were deeply intertwined and created a Environmentalism-Unionism nexus. The study also examines the role of underground trade unions and political organisations, especially industrial and peasants trade unions, in supporting environmental protests and framing them within a broader struggle against the dictatorship. Finally, the research reconstructs the moment of rupture of the environmentalism-unionism nexus with the entry of democracy (1978).
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spelling doaj-art-a54664cee95e459e9db0f9978355a7a12025-08-20T03:48:28ZengUniversidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC)Revista Mundos do Trabalho1984-92222025-05-011710.5007/1984-9222.2025.e102069The Greening of Underground and Antifrancoist Working Class Movement and the limits of Trade Unionism and Enviromentalism nexus in Spain (1967-1977).Pablo Corral Broto0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9270-5849Université de La Réunion This paper explores the intersection of environmentalism and underground working-class movement in Spain during the final years of Franco’s dictatorship. It also examines how industrialization and the Francoist regime’s developmental policies, which led to severe environmental degradation, fueled opposition among the working class, especially in industrial regions and in Aragon, our regional case. The research highlights the paradox of workers opposing the very industries that provide their livelihood, driven by the deteriorating living conditions due to industrial pollution and poor urban planning. It outlines how environmental protest, often indicated by women and local communities, became a platform for broader anti-Francoist opposition. The paper discusses key events, such as anti-pollution urban working-class campaigns and resistance against large infrastructures projects like dams and nuclear plants in Aragon, which were linked to the regime’s modernization efforts. We develop a regional approach, focusing on Aragon, due to the availability of local archives and detailed data they provide about environmental discourses and actions. This method allows for a nuanced understanding of how environmental conflicts and working-class opposition to Francoism were deeply intertwined and created a Environmentalism-Unionism nexus. The study also examines the role of underground trade unions and political organisations, especially industrial and peasants trade unions, in supporting environmental protests and framing them within a broader struggle against the dictatorship. Finally, the research reconstructs the moment of rupture of the environmentalism-unionism nexus with the entry of democracy (1978). https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/mundosdotrabalho/article/view/102069environmentalismtrade unionsenvironmentalism-unionism nexus
spellingShingle Pablo Corral Broto
The Greening of Underground and Antifrancoist Working Class Movement and the limits of Trade Unionism and Enviromentalism nexus in Spain (1967-1977).
Revista Mundos do Trabalho
environmentalism
trade unions
environmentalism-unionism nexus
title The Greening of Underground and Antifrancoist Working Class Movement and the limits of Trade Unionism and Enviromentalism nexus in Spain (1967-1977).
title_full The Greening of Underground and Antifrancoist Working Class Movement and the limits of Trade Unionism and Enviromentalism nexus in Spain (1967-1977).
title_fullStr The Greening of Underground and Antifrancoist Working Class Movement and the limits of Trade Unionism and Enviromentalism nexus in Spain (1967-1977).
title_full_unstemmed The Greening of Underground and Antifrancoist Working Class Movement and the limits of Trade Unionism and Enviromentalism nexus in Spain (1967-1977).
title_short The Greening of Underground and Antifrancoist Working Class Movement and the limits of Trade Unionism and Enviromentalism nexus in Spain (1967-1977).
title_sort greening of underground and antifrancoist working class movement and the limits of trade unionism and enviromentalism nexus in spain 1967 1977
topic environmentalism
trade unions
environmentalism-unionism nexus
url https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/mundosdotrabalho/article/view/102069
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