Coronavirus in Argentina: Hairdressers yes or no? Desperate, hairdressers ask to be allowed to work

05/08/2020 - 12:33

• Clarín.com
• Society

Hairdressers are among the businesses hardest hit by quarantine and, paradoxically, it is also one of the most requested in recent times. Not coincidentally, there are some 80,000 beauty salons in Argentina that employ at least 300,000 people , receive more than 250 million visits a year and represent a turnover of more than 1% of national GDP, according to the General Confederation. of Hairdressers.

Since the social, preventive and mandatory isolation was decreed by the new coronavirus pandemic on March 20, these establishments closed their doors in compliance with the regulations. In recent weeks, the activity has been rehabilitated, but only in 12 of the 24 districts of the country, among others La Pampa, Jujuy and Mendoza. In the Federal Capital there are more than 18,000 stores that cannot open. 

" I am on the canvas , they counted me to nine and I don't think I can get up," says Luis, from the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo, who prefers not to give his full name. "I have two hairdressers, ten employees, some in black , and I opened the business six times in almost two months to serve four clients per day, which is almost the same as nothing. I am dead, almost bankrupt," he said. .

On the other hand, the hairdresser and stylist says: "I was, supposedly, one of the beneficiaries with the help of the Government to be able to pay my employees blank, but the transfer as of May 7 did not come . Imagine, I don't know what to do and what to say to the workers ".

Coiffeur and stylist, Migue Alejandro Díaz (40) works as an employee in a hair salon in Recoleta. "I am crumbled, it has been almost 50 days since I paid a dime . I work and collect, I earn according to the production I have. I have dedicated myself to this profession that I love for many years, but lately it has been very punished: if not People come in, no money comes in, and you feel helpless . "

Díaz thought it would be fifteen days of parenthesis, but since then he assures that he is obsessed waiting for the day when they will allow hairdressers to open. "The days passed and the nerves increased in tune with the prices of the things bought in the supermarket --says - On the other hand, I understand the complicated situation, that the virus is indecipherable, we are all afraid and in I personally need to work again, but at the same time I am afraid of doing it . "

"The head does not stop carburing," says Miguel Alejandro Díaz (40), a stylist who works in Recoleta.

The hairdresser says that "the head does not stop carburing and this routine of doing nothing, or always doing the same thing, but without letting a penny in is dangerous. Finding out that the quarantine is extended and that nobody is talking about us despairs . And is maddening, not a relief, knowing that there are thousands who are in my situation or worse than me , "describes Diaz, who thinks taking the necessary precautions, hairdressers could return to work.

The different national, provincial and municipal entities that represent the hairdressers and stylists of Argentina have presented protocols of action and health to the governments to achieve the reopening of the salons, as well as requests for economic relief to cope with the crisis generated by the closure total of its shops.

Nacho Acosta owns the Odyssee Club, in Martínez. "We ask for help."

Nacho Acosta has a hairdressing salon in the town of Martínez, Odyssee Club , and the situation, he says, is "worse than critical, we are in a very, very difficult time, with an industry like ours that is already hit and this could be a fatal blow, we ask for help, to do something now . There are stores that have five or ten employees that you are about to close. They are going to disappear! "he emphasizes.

According to Acosta, they presented a project to the Ministry of Health of the Nation in which they demonstrated that they were ready to return to tasks facing a defense mechanism to avoid contracting the virus, based on three fundamental axes: customers and employees would wear face masks, among other protections; Work in the classroom would be organized to ensure social distancing and people over 60 years of age would not be attended.

"I have employees that I'm trying to keep," says Nacho Acosta, a hairdresser from Martínez.

The hairdresser, who emphasizes that the situation is unsustainable , does not understand how the Government did not include hairdressing salons among the essential activities, "taking into account that cutting hair is something that everyone needs and that it is a basic issue and personal hygiene, "he says.

"How are we getting along? I have employees that I am trying to support so that they can bring some money to their families, but I do not pay any tax burden . Government aid? It is insignificant, it is barely enough to pay 50% of a salary, "mutters Acosta, who also draws attention to the alarming situation of" the thousands and thousands who exercise this profession informally. "

"Since March 20, I have absolutely no cash coming in," says Eve, a manicure, pedicure and epilator.

Manicure, pedicure and waxing are the tasks that Eve has been doing for 20 years in a Paraguayan hairdresser and Coronel Díaz, where she is a partner in another woman in charge of haircuts. They share the rent of the premises. "I am retired, I pay the minimum, I rent where I live and where I work, and since March 20 I have absolutely no cash, but we must continue to pay rent and taxes ."

Concerned about the general situation, Eve finds herself living with her son, only because of the quarantine. "My son helps me, he tries to prevent me from getting sick, but all my life I was an independent worker and I'm not used to being supported , it makes me uncomfortable that I don't get a dime and depend on someone," she glides with anguish.

With integrity and dignity, Eve admits that she suffered panic attacks , "but hey, I can't fall now, life is like that, every so often it surprises you, it's unimagined by everyone. I just ask to go back to work, it's not so much", close.

LGP