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Difference between revisions of "Hotel Bauen"
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| − | '''Hotel Bauen''' is a [[Workers' self-management|worker-run]]<ref name=Upsidedownworld>Sammy Loren, [http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/28/32/ Argentina’s Worker-Run Hotel Bauen] Upside Down World</ref> four-star hotel<ref name=Labourstart>[http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=65 Argentina: Solidarity with Bauen hotel workers] LabourStart</ref> in [[Buenos Aires]],<ref name=Rethinkingeconomies> Alice Bryer, [http://www.rethinkingeconomies.org.uk/web/d/doc_71.pdf Beyond Bureaucracies?] ''Rethinkingeconomies.org.uk''</ref> the capital and largest city | + | '''Hotel Bauen''' is a [[Workers' self-management|worker-run]]<ref name=Upsidedownworld>Sammy Loren, [http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/28/32/ Argentina’s Worker-Run Hotel Bauen] Upside Down World</ref> four-star hotel<ref name=Labourstart>[http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=65 Argentina: Solidarity with Bauen hotel workers] LabourStart</ref> in [[Buenos Aires]],<ref name=Rethinkingeconomies> Alice Bryer, [http://www.rethinkingeconomies.org.uk/web/d/doc_71.pdf Beyond Bureaucracies?] ''Rethinkingeconomies.org.uk''</ref> the capital and largest city of [[Argentina]]. It is a 20-story hotel<ref>Brian Byrnes, [http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0425/p08s01-woam.htm Argentina elects a new president on Sunday amid a five-year recession] The Christian Science Monitor</ref> established in 1978 by the Iurcovich family<ref name=Rethinkingeconomies/> on loan from the then military dictatorship government<ref name=Upsidedownworld/> and was well-known as a meeting venue for right-wing politicians. But the Iurcovich family did not pay back the loan and the hotel was sold to a Chilean company named Solari SA in 1997 which also did not pay the money. The owners abandoned the hotel by 2001 which left approximately 250 people unemployed. Finally the workers themselves reopened the hotel in 2003. They also fulfilled the legal safety requirements ignored by the previous capitalist owners.<ref name=Rethinkingeconomies/> After the workers took control of the hotel, profits have also risen.<ref name=Upsidedownworld/> Former lowest ranking staff, including cleaning people, dishwashers and receptionists, run the hotel democratically without any workplace hierarchy.<ref>Zack Fields, [http://campusprogress.org/features/556/diy-argentina D.I.Y. Argentina] Campus Progress</ref> |
Hotel Bauen is often considered to be an example about how workers can | Hotel Bauen is often considered to be an example about how workers can | ||
Revision as of 22:13, 6 October 2008
Hotel Bauen is a worker-run[1] four-star hotel[2] in Buenos Aires,[3] the capital and largest city of Argentina. It is a 20-story hotel[4] established in 1978 by the Iurcovich family[3] on loan from the then military dictatorship government[1] and was well-known as a meeting venue for right-wing politicians. But the Iurcovich family did not pay back the loan and the hotel was sold to a Chilean company named Solari SA in 1997 which also did not pay the money. The owners abandoned the hotel by 2001 which left approximately 250 people unemployed. Finally the workers themselves reopened the hotel in 2003. They also fulfilled the legal safety requirements ignored by the previous capitalist owners.[3] After the workers took control of the hotel, profits have also risen.[1] Former lowest ranking staff, including cleaning people, dishwashers and receptionists, run the hotel democratically without any workplace hierarchy.[5]
Hotel Bauen is often considered to be an example about how workers can form labour-orientated kinds of social responsibility in opposition to the capitalist system.[3] According to receptionist Luisa Casanova, "It is more than just a hotel. Political groups and unions meet here during the week; people from the provinces arriving in Buenos Aires for their first time know to come here to find job opportunities. Bauen influences other social movements in a positive way."[1]
Right-wing politicians targeted the hotel for eviction.[2] The sons of Iurkovich claimed ownership of the hotel; this claim is deputed by the workers. Hotel clerk Diego Siles said, "the government loaned the money and no one ever paid back those loans, the hotel in reality belongs to the government." The government can legally side with the workers who have also said they will pay back the loan if they are given ownership of the hotel.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Sammy Loren, Argentina’s Worker-Run Hotel Bauen Upside Down World
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Argentina: Solidarity with Bauen hotel workers LabourStart
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Alice Bryer, Beyond Bureaucracies? Rethinkingeconomies.org.uk
- ↑ Brian Byrnes, Argentina elects a new president on Sunday amid a five-year recession The Christian Science Monitor
- ↑ Zack Fields, D.I.Y. Argentina Campus Progress
