From Sacrifice to Retribution: How Police Unions Redefined Police Work in Uruguay

Abstract Policing has traditionally been framed through a narrative of sacrifice that separates officers from civilians. This representation legitimizes certain labour rights violations that officers endure for higher moral causes: protecting society, loyalty to the uniform, etc. In Uruguay, the legalization of police unions in 2006 marked a turning point. Drawing on ethnographic research, this article shows how unions redefined sacrifice by aligning it with labour rights discourses and work-life balance frameworks. Rather than rejecting sacrifice, they reframe it within a transactional logic that emphasizes fair compensation and institutional accountability. This shift blurs the boundaries between police and civilian workers, legitimizes unionism and challenges hierarchical structures. Sacrifice becomes both a moral pillar of police identity and a platform for labour demands.