ARGENTINA. Shoemakers take to the streets
Given the seriousness of the current situation in Argentina’s footwear sector, a large number of manufacturers, workshop owners, shoe stitchers and suppliers spontaneously organized a gathering on September 2 at Mosconi and General Paz, a key hub in La Matanza, the area with the highest concentration of this industry in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA).
The purpose of the gathering was to make the problem visible and call on the national government for urgent measures that could bring relief to the sector.
Many of those present, manufacturers with long-standing experience, said they were on the verge of bankruptcy, in a situation of terminal crisis. The main cause was attributed to the sharp decline in sales due to consumers’ insufficient purchasing power, as well as indiscriminate imports and smuggling, against which it is impossible to compete.
Among the many statements heard from demonstrators were: “We have never experienced anything like this, we are bankrupt”; “Our sales are not enough to cover basic maintenance and service expenses”; “It is very sad to see friends and colleagues closing their factories and businesses”; “There are more and more vacant stores in shopping areas, which means fewer orders for manufacturers.” One supplier, in turn, said that he is operating at 20% of his historical sales level. Another manufacturer commented on the low prices of imported products —whether legally imported or smuggled— against which it is very difficult to compete. “I am 62 years old and have been a shoemaker for 40 years, and I am broke. I have never gone through anything like this,” another participant added. “We are waiting for a change in economic policy, or eventually a change of government, but we do not know who will be able to hold out,” a manufacturer stated.
There were various demands, together with a call from the main organizers for solidarity and unity, beyond political ideologies, because “what matters is saving the sector above all else.”
Within this framework, another march is scheduled for September 9, and its organizers expect the support of organizations that are part of the sector, such as the Chamber of the Footwear Industry and the union representing workers —UTICRA—.
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