Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
important contribution. This group comprises migrant workers from inside
the country and from neighbouring countries, especially Bolivia.
3 Permanent, salaried workers usually work under oral agreement and are not
bound by (formal) contracts.
4 Tanteros, also known as jornaleros, are temporary salaried workers who
combine tasks on the farm with other jobs such as bricklaying or transport
in Rosario.
The number of workers in each quinta varied from 1 to 12, with an
average of four. Also, a significant number of people lived on the quintas.
Women and children in the workforce
In general, when enquiries were made about labour, respondents only made
reference to work done by men and gave no account of the work women and
children perform. However, interviews exposed some of the more specific
gender-related information:
My wife? I would say she works more than me, because she comes
back to the house at 11:00 h to start cooking, cleaning, doing the
laundry and also to take care of the children. As soon as she
finishes eating, she does the washing up. I stop working at 12
and come back to work in the quinta at 14:00 h, in that time she
is cleaning and cooking. After doing the housework, she is back
in the quinta to work. My wife knows she has things to do in
the house and she takes no break. (Mediero, Santos)
The children of the medieros also work in the units because some
tasks are more suitable for a child than for an adult. Not all of
them work, of course, and its not that they are going to grab an
escardillo (a heavy tool). I mean, children take care of the
hoeing, cleaning and the like. That kind of work is better done
by children because of their size: they don't need to bend to do
it! Maybe with the years they start feeling the consequences.
(Horticultural worker, Fernando)
The reported instances of work performed by children and women were
confirmed during interviews with doctors in the health care unit, as well as by
checking medical records that indicate recurring minor injuries in children.
When doctors repeatedly ask about the cause of the injuries, children's work
is finally mentioned. However, a paediatrician at the Tio Rolo Health Care
Unit reported that unless medical staff press for details, parents do not admit
their children are working.
The labour environment
The peri-urban area where farms are located is defined by the municipality
of Rosario as a protected green belt
that
is closed to urbanization
