- Title: Chronic unemployment stings Argentines struggling to survive a crisis
- Date: 18th December 2019
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (DECEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) GENERAL OF KAYAK FACTORY WORKERS AT KAYAK FACTORY GENERAL OF KAYAK FACTORY VARIOUS OF KAYAKS BEING MOVED IN FACTORY VARIOUS OF EMPLOYEES WORKING IN KAYAK FACTORY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARCELO SCHVETZ, 59-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSMAN AND OWNER OF THE FACTORY FOR 40 YEARS, CONTROLLING THE PROCESS AND QUALITY OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT, SAYING: ''Three years ago, roundabout then, we manufactured some 150 units per day between kayaks and accessories, which is our specialty and we had approximately 45 people working for us. Today, due to the situation, we produce approximately 40 units per day and we have 16 people working (with us).'' FINISHED KAYAKS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARCELO SCHVETZ, 59-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSMAN AND OWNER OF THE FACTORY FOR 40 YEARS, CONTROLLING THE PROCESS AND QUALITY OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT, SAYING: ''Many employees left without being asked to because they understood the situation and with others, there were layoffs and arrangements had to be done and today we can't employ anyone even if we need to employ people because we do not really know what the expectations are that we will have in terms of sales projections, price projections and profitability projections." BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (DECEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) WORKERS WALKING IN FACTORY VARIOUS OF SERGIO ANIBAL KATZ, WHO IS UNEMPLOYED AND LOOKING AT FACTORY WHERE HE WORKED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND WAS THEN MADE REDUNDANT VARIOUS OF KATZ ARRIVING HOME VARIOUS OF KATZ IN KITCHEN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SERGIO ANIBAL KATZ, WHO IS UNEMPLOYED, SAYING: ''I arrived at the factory at 8 in the morning and they tell me, 'from today you are out of a job. Wait for communication from us.' That's the start of a new life after 11 years, of getting up at 4:00 in the morning and a life cycle which was abruptly cut." KATZ SERVING HIMSELF MATE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SERGIO ANIBAL KATZ, WHO IS UNEMPLOYED, SAYING: ''You start suppressing services, you eat less meat, less everything. The only thing that increases is the flour, more rice, more noodles, less meat and soda, which disappeared from the table.'' VARIOUS OF NATIONAL STATISTICS AND CENSUSES INSTITUTE BUILDING EXTERIOR BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (DECEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GRAFFITI DRAWN ON FACTORY WALLS VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC
- Embargoed: 1st January 2020 20:48
- Keywords: Argentina business economy factories future
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- City: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAI8B47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:As the indicators that measure Argentina's stuttering economy contract and decline, one figure, in particular, is impacting an entire generation: unemployed adults.
Marcelo Schvetz, a 59-year-old owner of a kayak factory said that in the last three years his manufacturing has plummeted. In the past he had 45 workers, now only 16 people are working in his company.
"I'm not able to employ people because we do not really know what the expectations are that we will have in terms of sales projections, price projections and profitability projections," he said.
Argentina's unemployment rate rose to 9.7% in the third quarter of 2019, almost a percentage point higher than a year earlier.
Sergio Anibal Katz was fired four months ago from the factory where he worked for around 11 years. He said that he has been searching for a job, but confessed, "the situation is very hard. Nobody is contracting people".
Katz, who has more than ten years of experience, said that he has started to eat more carbohydrates and less meat.
Peronist President Alberto Fernandez has promised an end to outgoing leader Mauricio Macri's pro-business policies, as inflation roars at above 50%, poverty has grown and economic growth sputters.
Argentina's economy is shrinking and poverty levels are approaching 40%. The country, Latin American's No. 3 economy, also needs to restructure a large pile of sovereign debt with creditors.
(Production: Miguel Lo Bianco, Claudia Martini) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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