DANIEL
MINSKY

From Argentina. Lives and works in Buenos Aires.

Self Managed Factories

Around the year 2000 in Argentina financial speculation was much more profitable than productive work. The country was immersed in a de-industrialization plan, its external debt grew and poverty increased. Many factories were emptied and demolished by their owners in a deliberate way. They acted with highly calculated financial structures so declaring a bankruptcy produced more profit than operating a working company. Employees with several months without receiving their salaries were left without work or compensation. In a negative political context, there were no other work options. Several manufacturing plants were occupied by their workers who restarted the production. They had the difficulties of not having supplies, money to purchase materials and in several cases not having the machinery that was extracted or intentionally ruined by their fraudulent owners. The workers favoured strength and experience at work and they no longer had to serve under a hierarchical order that would leave them only with little income after all deductions. Collectively the workers repaired and restored the machinery and obtained supplies. They recovered the factories and fought for the expropriation that made them owners of their work. The movement of factories recovered by its workers is born in Argentina and after that crisis period, many other factories have been converted into self-managed cooperatives. Self-managed factories do not have an owner either a boss. All workers are cooperative members and they share the factory income. They have an elected president that takes the fast and simple decisions, the elected directory is in charge of more relevant things but all substantial and important aspects are decided in assemblies. This photographic work shows three examples of recovered factories working today. Thanks to self-management based on assemblies and fairer income distribution, the cooperatives break the habit of a rich employer and poor workers.

www.minsky.com.ar

Self Managed Factories by Daniel_Minsky
Alcoyana Cooperative by Daniel Minsky
Alcoyana Cooperative by Daniel Minsky
Los Constituyentes Cooperative by Daniel Minsky
Los Constituyentes Cooperative by Daniel Minsky
Los Constituyentes Cooperative by Daniel Minsky
Los Constituyentes Cooperative by Daniel Minsky
Torgelon Cooperative by Daniel Minsky
Torgelon Cooperative by Daniel Minsky
Torgelon Cooperative by Daniel Minsky