The organization known for its leading brands complaints against trafficking, forced labor and slave labor
Valley
By Manuel Gustavo arrives on his motorcycle dilapidated red-faced from the cold. Barely raining outside, in "La Alameda" young reading and four other people talk. All of them may have been wet in early 2002 when he began to gather in front, below the ombú, for a soup kitchen and give fight to the crisis. "Obviously it was a meeting of depositors because here no one had a handle, the problem had to do with hunger, unemployment and the inability to pay services "Vera recalled in minutes, when you sit on the edge of the window.
La Fundación "La Alameda" which began as a popular assembly on 19 and December 20, 2001, is located in the neighborhood of Parque Avellaneda, on the corner of Avenue Lacarra and Directory. There, where until 1998 there was a bar / cafe, a dining room now works for 120 people, a textile cooperative, an area of \u200b\u200blegal work and courses for workers of all kinds, including educational support for children. Gustavo Vera, a teacher at School No. 10 Villa Lugano and militant unionist, is the president of the assembly which he describes as "painted cardboard" clear that decisions are made collectively
the media, "La Alameda" and Vera gave her jump to the continuing popularity clothing brands complaint against the use of slave employment workshops to enrich themselves. On its website (http://laalameda.wordpress.com/) report as perpetrators of this crime among the 85 brands found Kosiuko, Montagne, Mimo, Adidas, Puma, Topper, among the best known. However, despite marking time before they came, the issue took real impact after the March 30, 2006 when, after a fire in a textile workshop in Caballito, six people died Bolivian nationality (five of them minors).
"Many of the facilities were brand advertising guidelines that were then reported in Federal Courts. It was to impose the idea from the media companies that sweatshops were a marginal phenomenon, episodic, occurring outside the system of textile production and was exclusively engaged in the Salada or garment manufacturing trout "- explains Vera and then proudly explains, "We over the years we demonstrate that no, actually had a neo-slavery system of the main beneficiaries were the marks and phenomena such as the Salty or forgery, played a role of second fiddle systemic within this band of neo-slavery. " How 
develop criminal cases filed against the marks? "The legal processes are very slow for two reasons. First, because the Federal Court ordered that all I had to do with slaves workshops focus on a single trial, for which there is not enough staff to work seriously on this number of causes. Second, the judge who was in charge of the mega Oyarbide cause was that the year 1997 and 1998 had been accused of complicity with trafficking of Dominican women who had been brought for sexual exploitation. The result: they are processed and trial oral workshop owners but not the brands that benefited economically from this. Usually listed as owners who are nominees of the marks " Why this situation exists in the country of slavery? "is a phenomenon that is occurring worldwide. It has to do with the trend towards globalization. When the Soviet Union fell and broke the old balance of power, capitalism spread rapidly across the globe, does impose a neoliberal policy-depth shrinks states, controls, flexible borders and allows people to use the big capitalists vulnerable in order to maximize profits and avoid having to punish more flexible labor laws. So apply a de facto labor flexibility by entire populations to return to situations of slavery. "
The old bar enter northern accent people, men and women textile workers. Still sitting on the edge of the window Vera continues to vest jacket that brought because of the street, although in warm weather. In the same tables in the dining area, Bolivian workers were encouraged to break the silence and tell the condition of trafficking, trafficking and exploitation. From that moment on The Alameda began to follow a path which would take as an organization not only to leave the neighborhood level, but also engage in other branches.
"If you begin to explore the circuit and trafficking, and began to investigate the border (Villazón, Yacuiba and the Triple Frontera) inevitably you run into all sorts of crimes that occur simultaneously. For the same corridors pass the garment, which will work to the building, pass the girls tricked into prostitution, leading mules passed Falopa, pass all. "
What is the origin of the victims?
"The population is the same that is highly vulnerable places, extreme structural poverty, unemployment in absolute terms, lack of basic services, which can easily fall prey to any false promises of good passing. In general, you basically have to do with trafficking for labor exploitation to come from Bolivia, Paraguay, north of the country and to a lesser extent in Peru. Trafficking for sexual exploitation mainly to Paraguay and northern parts of the country. In these cases the uptake occurs not only through deception, but also with types of kidnapping. "
Vera says "The Alameda" is people power. Believes that in some particular cases people feel that "the state does not give a fuck" (SIC) and the organization itself. Think that's why many people turn to them to make complaints. At this point compared to the Foundation with the Union of Unemployed Workers in General Mosconi. "Obviously, saving ratios and taking into account that we were in urban area," explains the teacher who believes in Salta experience is an example to follow.
But despite being in the metropolis, surrounded by cement and no more green than the same Parque Avellaneda, "La Alameda" takes as its own problem forced and slave labor on farms. Earlier this year, after being alerted by Ajero, conducted an investigation that ended with hidden cameras a complaint with the Department of Labor's Office with relentless evidence of child labor in an establishment in the province of Mendoza.
"For the garlic and onion still have not found appropriate technology to take out of the earth without any marking. That hurts exports, because if you have a lot of the time you entered and checked, when you are exporting is in bad shape. Then they need a pickup that is a small and delicate instrument. Had no better idea to use pibitos 4, 8 or 10 years for this. Same with the egg collection. A delicate hand will not break eggs, carefully done "
what extent does farm work with the textile conflict and sexual exploitation?
"In the form of collection is the same: vulnerable people through deception. Many of these people are recruited in parks or on street corners to take them to work in the vine, onions, garlic or pumpkin, for example. There is a productivity payment given to the family group, that is such a family has to get as much of onion or garlic. The top of productivity to be arriving calls have to be working the whole family involved. Finally paid a pittance. "
What responsibility does the state?
"He is deeply involved in cases of bribery, both where recruiting victims and where they bring and exploit, through the lack of controls, through bribery in the police stations of the gendarmerie at the borders, through inspective bodies of the state, through various ways. Among the brothels and the police is a close bond. There Commissioners brothel owners, this is what makes it so difficult to rescue victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. "
The struggle is unequal. Both Vera and others in "La Alameda" know they are a small agency into a great unit. On the road have already suffered 15 attacks and offers of parties for co-opting politicians. "We started asking them all out. Throw them all out for us there was a change of figures was a system change that would end this exploitation, with this corruption with this society of slaves and excluded "Vera explains in a tone of political discourse and sentence, recalling the times home, quite seriously: "For me 2001 was something spectacular because it was the possibility of military power around the house." Outside
and dark and still raining, in a few people gathered. Gustavo is to the edge of the window but not removed his vest. In a meeting start time of the day.
