Nous reproduisons ici une partie du reportage photo de Martin Barzilaï sur l’hôtel Bauen de Buenos Aires. Vous pouvez retrouver l’intégralité du reportage sur son site : Le reportage de Martin Barzilaï sur l’hôtel Baeun.
L’hôtel Bauen est un établissement cinq étoiles en plein centre de Buenos Aires. En décembre 2001, le propriétaire l’abandonne et laisse ses employés à la rue. En mars 2003, une trentaine de travailleurs investissent les lieux et relancent l’activité en autogestion avec l’aide de la fédération des entreprises récupérées d’Argentine. Aujourd’hui, l’entreprise emploie plus de cent cinquante salariés et les décisions sont prises en assemblée générale. Le bâtiment, haut de vingt étages, est hautement symbolique: il a été construit en 1978, pendant la dictature au moment de la coupe du monde de football. Son propriétaire, Marcelo Lurcovich, aujourd’hui décédé, se vantait en privé d’avoir construit le Bauen sans avoir dépensé un sous. Grâce à ses contacts dans l’armée, il avait réussit à obtenir un prêt bancaire qu’il n’aurait jamais remboursé (source: pagina 12).
Depuis 2003, les travailleurs de l’hôtel ont réhabilité le restaurant, les différentes salles de conférence et l’auditorium. Des concerts, festivals, des programmes radiophoniques et des pièces de théâtre s’y sont déroulées. Des personnalités telles que Danielle Mitterrand, Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky, Evo Morales, Hugo Chavez, Susan Sarandon, Adolfo Perez Esquivel ont affirmé leur soutien à cette coopérative.
View of the Bauen hotel building. It is situated in the city center of Buenos Aires, near the Palace of the Argentine National Congress.
Some of the workers of Bauen Hotel placing flags to celebrate the 11 years since they recovered their source of labour.
L’entrée de l’hotel Bauen.
Assembly of workers of Bauen Hotel. Eva, the president, announces that they will be receiving several pounds of beef from a workers-run beef packer in the city of Bahia Blanca. In wxchange for it, one of its workers will be staying for free in the Hotel.
A client asks for information at the reception desk. The hotel clients are from all walks of life. Since Cristina Kirchner has been president, a large number of civil servants stay here.
Studants are entering the Bauen hotel hall for a meeting about South American litterature.
Bauen Hotel’s kitchen restaurant. A worker gets ready to start her day of labour.
Restaurant hall of Bauen Hotel. After the workers recovered it, they changed its name. Now, they call it, the hall Utopia.
Hotel Bauen’s kitchen.
Three workers from Zanon, a worker-controlled ceramic tile factory located in the province of Neuquen, came to support the struggle of the Bauen Hotel workers.
A group of senior citizens comes every afternoon to play chess on the bar of Bauen Hotel. When they found out the workers could be evicted, they collected some money and they gave it to one of the workers, by saying: « this is to support your struggle ».
Ruben is ParagLunchtime is a sociable time in the day. Maids are permitted to come to work with their little babies.uayan,he works in the cooperative for 4 years.
Marcela, maid, doing her job in a hotel Bauen’s room.
Some hotel Bauen’s rooms are used to store linen.
Arminda Palacios Martinez, 78 years old, working on the sewing-shop. Arminda is the oldest worker of Bauen Hotel.
Unlike what happens in a traditional hotel, the maids are not watched over during their work.
Roberto Luis Velez, 59 years old. From the kitchen to the laundry. « All of us must know everything about the cooperative. Time goes by and we still here, so we’re quieter », he said in 2011.
In 2011, Abel was head of the laundry. Now, He is 41 and has lived and worked in Hotel Bauen for 10 years.
Hotel Bauen laundry.
Lunchtime for the cooperative workers.
Lunchtime is a sociable time in the day. Maids are permitted to come to work with their little babies.
Abel Ozuna and his step daugther Iliana having lunch, in the room where the tree of them sleep in Bauen Hotel.
15 workers leave in the hotel. The bathroom is also used as the kitchen. At Abel’s room, where he lives with his step daughter and his wife, Vanesa.
Abel Ozuna and his stepdaugther Iliana, in the room where the tree of them sleep in Bauen Hotel. They are sitting on Iliana’s bed.
Vanesa Ozuna is preparing herself to work in the afternoon.
Iliana with the computer which have been given at public school.
10 years cooperative’s celebration at Callao Avenue, in 2013.
Maria, Eva (the actual cooperative president) and Gladis during 11 years cooperative’s celebration in Callao avenue in front of the hotel.