FaSinPat
| Company type | Worker cooperative |
|---|---|
| Industry | Ceramic tile manufacturing |
| Founded | 1980s |
| Founder | Luis Zanon |
| Headquarters | Neuquén , Argentina |
Area served | Argentina |
| Products | Ceramic tiles |
Number of employees | 410 (2005) |
| Website | www |
FaSinPat (), previously known as Zanon, is a ceramic tile manufacturing facility in Neuquén, Argentina, operated under worker control. It stands as a prominent example within the nation's recovered factory movement.
Establishment of the factory
The factory was inaugurated in the early 1980s by Luis Zanon during Argentina’s military dictatorship. Constructed on publicly owned land with government financing that was never reimbursed, Zanon openly commended the regime for "securing Argentina for investments." Throughout the 1990s, the factory expanded through loans provided by both national and provincial governments, leveraging close connections with former president Carlos Menem and Neuquén’s governor Jorge Sobisch.
During this era, reports indicated that the labor union at Zanon was under the influence of criminal groups aligned with management. In 2000, after workers regained control over their union, they pushed for improved working conditions. In response, management initiated layoffs and enforced a lockout in 2001 aiming to replace the workforce.
Factory shutdown and workers’ occupation
Amid the 2001 economic downturn, the factory ceased operations. In reaction, employees occupied the premises to safeguard their employment rights, citing unpaid salaries and prior public investments in the facility. After enduring months without wages and resisting lockout efforts, 240 workers recommenced production on March 2, 2002, functioning independently of management.
Initially, Luigi Zanon did not oppose the workers' takeover; however, legal disputes arose following Argentina’s abandonment of the peso–dollar fixed exchange rate in 2002. Although FaSinPat returned to profitability, Zanon sought to regain ownership through legal proceedings and governmental pressure. The cooperative also faced intimidation and violence, including the abduction and torture of a female employee in 2005.
Despite these obstacles, FaSinPat grew by employing over 170 additional workers by April 2005, reaching a total workforce of 410. Profit margins remain limited due to paying full commercial rates for utilities—unlike its predecessor—and an absence of local government contracts; notably, Neuquén Province has not procured tiles from FaSinPat in eight years.
FaSinPat fosters strong community relationships by donating tiles to neighborhood centers and hosting cultural activities. In 2005, it financed the construction of a community health clinic in Nueva España after prolonged governmental neglect. The cooperative also provides ongoing support to soup kitchens and hospitals each month. This community solidarity has been crucial in defending FaSinPat against persistent threats.
On August 14, 2009, Neuquén’s legislature approved expropriating the factory in favor of the cooperative permanently and agreed to settle debts amounting to approximately 22 million pesos (~$7 million), owed to creditors such as the World Bank and Italian machinery manufacturer Sacmi. The cooperative contests this decision, asserting that creditors were complicit in fraudulent bankruptcy proceedings and that liabilities should be attributed personally to Zanon rather than to the factory itself.
Connection with unionism
Workers at FaSinPat have played a key role in advancing rank-and-file unionism (sindicalismo de base), promoting self-management and direct control within the factory. This strategy emphasizes worker assemblies and alternative union branches that challenge traditional unions like the CGT, which are often characterized by bureaucratic hierarchies and compromises with management. In 2000, FaSinPat employees took control of Local 21 of the Sindicato de Obreros y Empleados Ceramistas de Neuquén (SOECN), which is affiliated with the national ceramists’ union. SOECN upholds principles such as worker democracy, class autonomy, and internationalism and anti-imperialism, representing a clear departure from conventional Peronist unionism prevalent in Argentina. Through SOECN, FaSinPat has actively supported local movements for unemployed workers, reinforcing its dedication to class-conscious labor activism.
See also
External links
- Official FasinPat website (content in Spanish)
- Ventanas, a ceramic book project by Eduardo Galeano and Jorge Majfud, produced by FaSinPat
- Obreros de Zanon ("Zanon Workers", Spanish language)
- Argentine Lessons published in Zmag, March 2004
- Transition from Zanón to FaSinPat (article from Infoshop.org, translated and originally from lavaca.org)
- Zanon: Worker-Run Production, Community, and Respect