El derecho de huelga en la era digital: la cuestión del esquirolaje tecnológico

El derecho de huelga en la era digital: la cuestión del esquirolaje tecnológico

The right to strike in the digital age: the issue of technological scabbing

🎙 Dr. Max Henry Chauca Salas 👥 2K 📅 September 27, 2026 ⏱ 42 min 👁 1 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-09-27
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

huelgaesquirolaje tecnológicoderecho laboralPerúEspaña

Summary

The seminar, hosted by the Peruvian Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Citizenship, features Dr. Max Henry Chauca Salas discussing the right to strike in the digital age, focusing on technological scabbing. The speaker begins by tracing the historical evolution of the right to strike from a prohibition to a fundamental right, citing Piero Calamandrei’s three-stage theory. He then defines esquirolaje (scabbing) as the replacement of striking workers, distinguishing between external and internal scabbing. The core issue is technological scabbing, where employers use machines, algorithms, or AI to replace strikers, a practice not explicitly regulated in Peruvian law. The presentation reviews Peruvian regulations, noting that while classical scabbing is prohibited, technological scabbing remains a legal gap. Comparative analysis focuses on Spain, where courts have grappled with this issue, culminating in a recent Constitutional Court ruling on the Metro de Sevilla that found the use of double trains during a strike to be a violation of the right to strike. The speaker proposes amending Peruvian regulations to explicitly include technological replacement as a prohibited form of scabbing. The talk concludes by highlighting the need for legal updates to protect workers’ fundamental rights in the era of Industry 4.0.

197 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The value of the information lies in its clear synthesis of legal concepts and its focus on an emerging issue: the interaction between new technologies and the fundamental right to strike. The argumentation is structured logically, starting from historical foundations and moving to contemporary challenges. The speaker effectively uses comparative law, particularly Spanish jurisprudence, to illustrate how technological scabbing has been treated and to argue for legal reform in Peru. The argument is persuasive: because the right to strike is a fundamental right, any employer action that intentionally undermines it, including through technology, should be prohibited. The speaker acknowledges the employer’s freedom to use technology for legitimate productivity reasons but distinguishes that from the specific intent to neutralize a strike, which he argues is an interference with the constitutional right.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The speaker demonstrates scientific rigor by citing specific legal norms, court decisions, and doctrinal works. He references Peruvian law (Reglamento de la Ley de Inspección de Trabajo, article 25.9), Sunafil resolution 717-2022, and casación 3480-2014, as well as Spanish sources like Real Decreto Ley 17/1977, Tribunal Supremo rulings, and Tribunal Constitucional decisions. The presentation is well-sourced within the legal domain, though no external links are provided in the description. The title accurately reflects the content, as the entire presentation revolves around the right to strike in the digital age and the specific issue of technological scabbing. No audience comments are available for analysis, but the content appears consistent with established labor law principles.

258 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on the right to strike in the digital era and the specific issue of technological replacement of workers.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

The speaker is a legal expert with multiple degrees in labor law, and the presentation is based on cited legal provisions, jurisprudence, and doctrine. However, the content is not peer-reviewed and some claims (e.g., specific rulings) lack direct verifiable URLs, so a full check is impossible.

Key Moments

Cited Sources

  • Piero Calamandrei's three-stage theory of strike — Mentioned as the basis for the historical development of the right to strike.
  • Reglamento de la Ley de Inspección de Trabajo, artículo 25.9 — Peruvian regulation prohibiting acts that impede the right to strike, including external scabbing.
  • Resolución 717-2022-SUNAFIL, Primera Sala — Interpretation including internal scabbing as prohibited.
  • Casación Laboral 3480-2014 — Peruvian Supreme Court ruling prohibiting both external and internal scabbing.
  • Real Decreto Ley 17/1977 — Spanish law prohibiting external scabbing.
  • Sentencia del Tribunal Supremo de España, 5 de diciembre de 2012 — First ruling on technological scabbing, initially allowed.
  • Sentencia del Tribunal Constitucional 17/2017 — Maturing the doctrine, allowing use of pre-existing technical means.
  • Sentencia del Tribunal Constitucional español, marzo de 2026 (Metro de Sevilla) — Recent ruling declaring use of double trains during a strike as a violation of the right to strike.
  • Code du travail français, articles L142-6 et L151-10 — French provisions prohibiting replacement of workers in conflict via fixed-term or temporary contracts.

Concurring Sources

  • International Labour Organization (ILO) standards on freedom of association — Reinforces the recognition of the right to strike as an integral part of freedom of association, supporting the speaker's premise.

Dissenting Sources

  • US labor law (NLRB) allowing permanent replacement of strikers — The US system permits strikebreaking under certain conditions, which contrasts with the speaker's proposal and shows a divergent approach.

Contribution & Novelties

The presentation offers a novel contribution by systematically analyzing the legal gap in Peru regarding technological scabbing, and by proposing concrete legislative reforms. It bridges the gap between traditional labor law and digital-era challenges, using Spanish jurisprudence as a comparative model. The talk provides a clear framework to distinguish between legitimate employer use of technology and unlawful interference with the right to strike.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • Right to strike — Provides a general overview of the fundamental right and its international recognition.
  • Strikebreaker — Explains the concept of scabbing, including its historical and ethical dimensions.
  • Industry 4.0 — Contextualizes the technological shifts that give rise to new forms of workforce replacement.

113 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in information quantity, quality, and technical level, with a slightly lower reliability score reflecting the lack of verifiable external links. The overall pattern indicates a well-structured, expert-driven legal analysis suited for a specialized audience.

Reliability 8/10