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Original article: ¿Seguridad Social? Caja Los Andes suma más de 20 demandas por prácticas antisindicales y vulneración de derechos

Caja Los Andes Faces Over 20 Lawsuits for Anti-Union Practices and Rights Violations Under New Management

The appointment of Tomás Zavala Mujica as general manager of Caja Los Andes in November 2024 has sparked an unprecedented labor crisis at the institution. With over 20 active lawsuits, complaints lodged with the Labor Directorate, and a troubling history from his time at Consorcio, the largest compensation fund in Chile is at risk of being disqualified from state contracts.

Under Judicial Scrutiny: Accusations of Retaliation and Fundamental Rights Violations

In an interview with El Ciudadano, sources close to the union organizations reported that since Tomás Zavala Mujica took the helm in November 2024, a pattern of retaliation against members of the largest union has emerged. According to these sources, these workers have faced pressure for being the only ones opposing the authoritarian management style of the new administration.

Union insiders explained that this is evidenced by the imposition of: signing minimum service agreements for collective bargaining with both unions; signing agreements to bypass regulated negotiations and only allowing collective agreements; and enforcing an internal regulation concerning order, hygiene, and safety without considering the organization’s feedback. 

Additionally, the introduction of a code of conduct is seen by union organizations as discriminatory and potentially infringing on fundamental rights. Furthermore, these groups have reported the termination of all employees who question the management or maintain close ties with the union. 

Tomás Zavala Mujica’s controversial history with unions is not new. Employees of Caja report that he carries a reputation for conflict stemming from his time at the Consorcio Group. There, Zavala was involved in intense disputes with one of the unions, a conflict that escalated to labor courts and seems to be repeating itself under similar circumstances at Caja Los Andes.

“There is a common factor in both companies that Mr. Zavala has led: the desire to strengthen and favor one union at the expense of the other,” workers stated.

Moreover, they added that these practices were reported by the Labor Directorate to the Courts of Justice in case S-64-2025, following the collective negotiations conducted in July and August of last year. The case is currently ongoing. 

In addition, workers pointed out that since Zavala’s arrival, more than 200 employees have been laid off annually, with layoffs increasing after the collective negotiations. 

The complaint also highlights a structural change in the employment model: the implementation of subcontracting to bypass collective benefits. According to employees, this practice not only jeopardizes job security but has also segmented the workforce into ‘social classes’. 

Furthermore, they accused the management of employing a dismissal policy that actively discriminates against long-serving employees and those reintegrating after prolonged medical leaves.

The ‘Manual’ of Consorcio: The Precedent Complicating Zavala Today

To comprehend that conflicts with union groups are not new for Zavala, one must remember the dispute with Consorcio in 2018, when the holding company was preparing for its stock market debut while facing a labor crisis similar to that currently experienced by Caja Los Andes.

Various media reports from that time indicate that Zavala Mujica was leading the Corporate Development Management, a key area on which the company’s structural changes depended.

It can be said that a similar strategy to that currently applied at Caja Los Andes was used back then. In 2018, the majority union, consisting of 1,300 workers, sued the company for anti-union practices, accusing management of striking deals with a minority union of only 40 members, which did not meet the legal quorum to negotiate.

As with the current complaints in Los Andes, at Consorcio, new employees were given a document to choose between both unions at the time of signing their contracts, which the lawsuit described as a maneuver to “bypass the law” and weaken the main organization.

 The Avalanche of Lawsuits Hitting Caja Los Andes

According to sources close to the unions, there are currently over 20 lawsuits and complaints filed within just five months, largely by a single attorney, alleging unjustified dismissals, claims for the violation of rights, anti-union practices, and the aforementioned complaint filed by the Labor Directorate for unfair practices as a consequence of the latest negotiations.

To the unions, the dismissals under this administration share common factors stemming from an “aggressive and impersonal” corporate policy, where numbers are prioritized over people, external customers are valued while internal employees are pushed to the limits of their physical and mental capacities, making them feel unvalued and unrecognized within an organization that, it should be noted, is a leader in social security in Chile. 

For the existing unions, this —combined with the similar attitudes towards union organizations— is evident in a series of events: the 2025 conflict with the Caja regarding the adjustment of minimum services, signed by Union No. 1 and rejected by the National Union; parallel negotiations for a collective agreement by the former, while the latter underwent a regulated process; and, finally, after a lengthy struggle, the signing of a collective contract that resulted in the loss of benefits, signed by only four of the six leaders at that time.

The two who did not sign now face retaliatory lawsuits from the employer, which, according to the unions, reflects the deterioration of the relationship with management.

“It seems that these issues do not affect or concern the general management of Caja Los Andes to the point of dismissing even those workers who were offered as witnesses in trials, or do not seem to care about the indemnity guarantee claimed by these former dismissed workers, a right enshrined in Article 485 of the labor code, which is located in the title on labor protection,” the sources remarked.

Additionally, the unions expressed concern that the Chilean Chamber of Construction (CChC), the entity responsible for directing Caja Los Andes, is applying directives deemed ‘strict and unyielding’. They claim that this management style —which is reportedly predominant in many companies associated with the Chamber— prioritizes achieving financial goals over respecting the labor rights of employees.

Record Surpluses vs. Layoffs: The Financial Paradox of Caja

El Ciudadano spoke with one of the many dismissed employees, who requested anonymity and will be referred to as Leopoldo Cuevas for the purposes of this report.

According to his testimony, his dismissal occurred amid labor conflicts characterized by allegations of mistreatment and ongoing judicial proceedings. He added that during the last collective negotiations, the company swiftly reached an agreement with the minority union, while the majority union —to which he belonged— opted for regulated negotiations through the Labor Directorate. 

For Cuevas, the process was lengthy and exhausting, with attempts to reduce already acquired benefits, although ultimately these were maintained, albeit with different conditions among workers.

Furthermore, Cuevas’ testimony aligns with that of union organizations regarding the dismissals. He stated that between November and December 2025, several layoffs occurred due to alleged restructuring needs, continuing with mass dismissals in 2026 to the present. He emphasized that all laid-off colleagues were union members, and they are currently being advised by a lawyer who has multiple lawsuits against the Caja for bad practices. 

In this regard, Cuevas stated that since the new management took over, excessive sales targets for loans and insurance have been imposed; in fact, he explained, 90% of the Caja is financed through these social loans. According to his account, the previous year there were about $3 billion in social loans, resulting in a compliance rate of 109%, which led to a bonus of 2.2 salaries. This, for Cuevas, starkly contrasts with the alleged needs of the company to justify mass layoffs.

The Risk of Losing State Contracts: A Threat to the Operation of Caja

For Leopoldo Cuevas, the shift in the work environment is palpable: employees remain in constant fear of layoffs justified by alleged restructuring. In his view, this is entirely contradictory to the image of social welfare that the non-profit entity seeks to project, which he asserts is not reflected in the current workplace atmosphere.

In this vein, Cuevas highlighted that in 2024, Caja was ranked third among the best companies to work for in Chile, yet following the collective negotiations, the layoffs, and unilateral changes, employees doubt they can regain that status. 

Furthermore, Cuevas warned of the severity of the anti-union lawsuit filed by the Labor Directorate, as this could result in losing contracts with the government and state entities, where compensation funds disburse social benefits for their affiliates.

In this regard, sources close to the union indicated that despite the company’s non-profit social security role, it recorded profits exceeding $50 billion in 2024. In 2025, these profits surpassed $100 billion, marking an unprecedented increase of over 100%. With 4.4 million pensioners and active affiliates, holding a 68.8% market share in social loans, it stands as the largest compensation fund in the country. This scenario, they indicated, provides clear conditions to collaborate with their employees and regain its status as one of the best places to work in Chile, as it was before Zavala’s arrival.

However, the employees themselves argue that the reality is quite the opposite: “the work environment has deteriorated and the attachment and recognition workers felt towards their company has been severely lost as they long for the previous administration that is no longer here,” they asserted.

In this same vein, they added that “the existing discontent at Caja Los Andes, the impersonal and authoritarian management style, and the monetarist approach creates a scenario of widespread dissatisfaction and fear, where employees must comply for fear of losing their source of income, inevitably leading to a growing distance between management and employees.”

Moreover, beyond the repercussions affecting the work environment, union insiders warned of the economic effects that the conflict could generate. They noted that while the company enjoys substantial annual profits —primarily from credit income and insurance sales to affiliates— which would allow it to address the crisis, the projected image would be severely tarnished.

Also, like Cuevas, they warned that if any allegations of anti-union practices or violations of fundamental rights are upheld and ultimately sanctioned, the Caja would be barred from working with the state for two years.

According to close sources, this would place the company in a complex scenario, as Caja Los Andes manages health contributions for Fonasa, collecting over $40 billion monthly for the payment of medical leaves, resources managed by Caja itself, in addition to compensation with the state for Family Allowance funds, unemployment subsidies, among other benefits.

There are concerns that Caja Los Andes could end up listed in the bulletin termed «register of companies violating fundamental rights in Chile,» a list compiled and published semi-annually by the Labor Directorate. 

With record profits but a fractured internal climate, Caja Los Andes finds itself at a crossroads. The courts’ resolution will determine whether the entity can restore its reputation as a leader in social security or if, on the contrary, it ends up bolstering the official list of companies that violate fundamental rights in Chile.

La entrada Caja Los Andes Faces Over 20 Lawsuits for Anti-Union Practices and Rights Violations Under New Management se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.