Pay for cleaners

[austin]

I have been paying the woman who cleans for me $10 pesos an hour. She comes once a week for four hours. The work is light and I am almost never here. I've been paying $10 for a couple of years. I think it was a good deal above the average but inflation may have changed that. Recently she asked for more. Should I pay more?

 

[Matty]

Austin, I am sure the lady that cleans your place is doing a very good job. But consensus in our building is that 7pesos is the going rate for cleaning ladies, and often times instead of them doing windows we might ask her to iron for an hour. If you really like her and her work no amount of money could ever be enough to compensate for her marvelous and par excellance performance; but given that you are hardly there, you can opt to reduce her cleaning time to 2x a month for the "new and improved" rate she is asking. And whatever she is asking bargain for 50% off on that and still stick with the reduced hours after all you too have to save. Good luck I had the same incident happen this weekend but first and foremost express to her that you appreciate her dedicated work and loyal service to you - then talk money matters,

 

[redapple]

We pay our cleaner 8 pesos per hour, and she comes in twice a week. That seems to be the going rate in Palermo Soho, I understand.

 

[suejud]

In Caballito 8 pesos an hour is what the woman who cleaned for me charged - but I opted for 10 pesos an hour. And at that I felt guilty. However my money was coming from the states for one, and two, I totally appreciated her work, being here as a single mom trying to study. I looked at another apt. in Caballito and the owner told me her cleaning lady, whom she'd used for years earned 6 pesos per hour - and that owner is a Dentist. Interesting topic for me - as it seems hard work comes cheap here and on top of this - the recent posts I was reading about formaldehyde as an ingredient in many cleaning supplies and toiletries here - not only hard work - but more toxic than one might expect. If you can swing a raise, I'd at least have a chat with her if you'd like to keep the schedule as is. If not, from what I understand 10 pesos an hour is a good wage here for cleaning. Suertes

 

[austin]

I thought the matter over and spoke to the cleaner. I offered 11 pesos an hour and 5 pesos more for my office (she is currently being paid 35 for the job which is pretty light). She was satisfied. I know that this is well above average however the woman is trustwothy. I realize that this seems like very little money for people from the UK or US who have income in £ or US$ however those of us here who are earning in pesos have no choice but to think in local terms.

 

[Mike1]

I thought the matter over and spoke to the cleaner. I offered 11 pesos an hour and 5 pesos more for my office (she is currently being paid 35 for the job which is pretty light). She was satisfied. I know that this is well above average however the woman is trustwothy. I realize that this seems like very little money for people from the UK or US who have income in £ or US$ however those of us here who are earning in pesos have no choice but to think in local terms.

You have to think of local terms if you are living & working here, otherwise they will take advantage of the situation, thinking that we're rich. Where I am, in Avellaneda & Lanus ,we're paying 7 pesos per hour for cleaning and no tip. It's standard here, not to offer tips except a peso or less for guys that are watching out for the parked cars and 10% tip at restaurants.

 

[Celia]

I agree with Mike. In fact I have found that workers of all types recommended by expats hike up, if not double, their prices...

 

[danc]

I honestly don't mean to divert this thread, but I just couldn't help myself. I read so many posts on this forum bashing US multi-national for "exploiting" local labor by paying local rates. Personally, I am in favor of paying competitive local market rates, but there many on this forum with the view that US multi-nationals should pay US labor rates everywhere in the world. Where are you when it comes to individual maid rates? Shouldn't you be paying your Argentine maid a US rate of $20/$30 dollars/hr?

 

[RWS]

. . . .  Shouldn't you be paying your Argentine maid a US rate of $20/$30 dollars/hr?

It could be fifty or more, here in the northeastern States.

And, yes, there would seem to be a bit of hypocrisy in asking others to do what one is not willing to do herself.

 

[Matty]

This thread is getting more interesting. As my original response was to austin, as much as I would like to pay the cleaner of my meager apartment "more",I would not want to antagonize my LOCAL neighbors who do not earn in dollars. I would upset the applecart (so to speak), and would never want to be accused of 'flaunting" my dollars. My neighbors earn in pesos, I am not mighty and superior by adding and translating payment of same service in dollars. I go with the flow and somehow I get the sense that the latest responses here interprets it as wrong? I do not get it. If the set rule in your building, condo complex, street is such or "X" pesos, go with the going rate. I in turn wanting to do more, give the girl something extra ( new blouse, whatever) but not in cash. They think I speak english I have more money - I am not sure where or who instigated that thinking but I do not want my neighbors to think that I am hoi pa loi by waving my dollar around. I think more of the peso earning (retirement) old lady who cannot afford to pay the cleaner more on top of the increasing price of potatoes and her milanesa de pollo. I mean in Argentina we should think in pesos, no and not in US dollars, right? This is Buenos Aires that we are in are after all.