Traccion a sangre

[Roxana]

I am watching every everning/night how the cartoneros push their carts full of papers and other recycable items with their own hands. I think those carts weight in average more than 200 kilos yes, almost 500 pounds. A horse or a mule would do that, but I find unacceptable that humans, argentinians or from neiboring countries, are pushing 3 times their own weight for 8-10 hours, everyday, for years.

Also, recently the doorman of my buiding told me like the new gossip, that the cartonera that comes to our block is young, pretty and blond. Yesterday I was at a bar with a bunch of friend, and another friend told me that at his house there are two young blondies, and... better they work as cartoneras than as whores. I am indignated.

I also think that I am a little bit idealistic. I wanted to share this with you.

 

[legilber]

Just to give a little bit of the other side (not that I've ever worked at a cartonera) but I used to work for Anheuser Busch back in the states. When needed (more often that I would have liked), I had to help merchandise at grocery stores, not an easy job.

Now, I'm a 118 lb blonde chick and with a dolly I was moving 500lbs easily back and forth all day long. I'm not saying that their job is the same, they work hard and aren't paid accordingly. What I'm saying is that physically it is possible. It is tiring work, but it isn't as hard as it looks to pull around 500 big ones. I'm just saying..

It's all in the knees!

 

[Celia]

The worst of it is that there are lots of kids doing this jobs, many under the age of 12..... and the government encourages it. They ran a campaign a year or so ago asking people to put out their rubbish early. Why, when the dustmen come so late to collect it? Obviously to give the cartoneros more stuff and more time to rummage through it. Disgusting!!!

 

[sketchyblueeyes]

Don't go to asia. If you think these carts are big, you would be astounded.

 

[va2ba]

The really sad thing is that they are doing all that and making almost nothing for a full day of work. I doubt that they make anything more than 20 or 25 pesos a day.

 

[Roxana]

Each cartonero that has the uniform dark blue with the fluorescent bands earns $1500 per month. It doesnt include the money needed to commute everyday or what the eat or drink while working.