Brukman factory
| Company type | Workers' cooperative |
|---|---|
| Industry | Textile manufacturing |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Argentina |
Key people | Workers' cooperative "18 de Diciembre" |
| Products | Textiles |
Brukman is a textile manufacturing facility located at Jujuy 554 in the Balvanera neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Currently overseen by the workers' cooperative known as "18 de Diciembre," it stands as one of the most prominent examples of a recovered factory in the nation.
Background
The Brukman plant experienced significant setbacks during the 1998–2002 Argentine great depression, with a decline in operations beginning around 1995. The employee count dropped from 300 to less than half that number, accompanied by a downturn in sales and mounting financial liabilities. Workers’ salaries diminished to the point where affording transportation became difficult. There were widespread speculations that the factory owners intended to shut down the facility.
Takeover
Around fifty predominantly female employees demanded travel subsidies on December 18, 2001, to retain their positions. After the Brukman brothers, who owned the factory, left promising financial support but failed to return, the employees occupied the premises and took control. They restarted production autonomously, secured new customers, and began settling outstanding debts. Operating through a cooperative assembly, they established equitable wages and eventually brought back ten former workers.
The original owners attempted eviction on several occasions. On April 18, 2003, federal police intervened and forcibly removed the workers. Nevertheless, thousands of supporters—including activists and lawmakers—rallied in defense of the cooperative. Although legal proceedings initially upheld the eviction, widespread solidarity protests emerged, notably from workers at the Zanon ceramics factory in Neuquén. The Brukman cooperative maintained a protest encampment outside their facility. On April 21, confrontations between provincial police and demonstrators resulted in injuries and arrests. Ultimately, the workers reclaimed control and have continued operating successfully as a cooperative.