In Argentina, 58% of the people live in poverty. After near economic and political collapse, employees have begun to take control over their places of work. In the last two years, around 200 businesses (where employers said they could no longer afford to keep the businesses running) have been occupied by their employees and run by employee assemblies.

These businesses include mines, metal work, tractors, print shops, magazines, suits, baked goods, ice cream, hotels, supermarkets, medical clinics, and even an airline. Together, they employ 15,000 people.

Many are under threat by the police and are guarded 24 hours a day by employees. These occupied factories enjoy massive support from the local community, which has lost its faith in the nation's politicians. Companies like the Zanón ceramics have managed to lower prices to 60% of their pre-occupation levels and yet maintain the same pay for their employees. It has even hired additional people. As a result, dozens of these occupations have been legalized.

Today, the workers of Argentina continue to struggle for work and a decent living in an economy battered by neo-liberal economic policies.

A film has been made about this called The Take (see http://thetake.org).


Sources:
http://www.workopolis.com/servlet/Content/fasttrack/20030424/CONAOMI?section=Trades
http://www.americas.org/News/Features/200307_JulyAugust/Argentina-Brukman.htm
http://www.workerspower.com/wpglobal/Argentina-Control.html
http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/wsm/ws/2002/73/argentina.html
http://www3.sympatico.ca/sworker/392-06-Argentina.html

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