Paper short abstract:

This paper focus the relations of printing workers union of BAMA with the State, social movements and political organizations under an analytical perspective that seeks to integrate union agenda activities and labour conflicts with the reconstruction of life trajectories and memories.

Paper long abstract:

Historical and sociological studies have emphasised the historical relations between unions and the State in Argentina since the 1940´s. These relationships have mainly been considered in the dichotomous terms of confrontations/subordination to the State, associated with others like labour/politics and unions/social movements. This kind of approach has contributed to hide the multiple political commitments of activists, as well as the role of the relations with other social actors. In this paper I analyse the practices of activists of printing workers union under a perspective that seeks to integrate union agenda activities and labour conflicts with the reconstruction of life trajectories and memories. This view allows visible simultaneous modalities of relations with state agencies, social movements and political groups. It does also contributes to understand how knowledge, traditions and memories interplay in the conformation of union practices and relations with other social actors, as well as the meanings attributed to their labour activities, to the politics and to the State.