The Argentine Chamber of Authorized Technical Services for the Home (CASTAH) recently carried out a survey on a universe of 1,546 associated workshops, in order to gain direct knowledge of the economic and social consequences of the implementation of the quarantine ordered by the Department. of Necessity and Urgency No. 297/2020.

As a result, the following data is extracted:

• 68% of our workshops surveyed are mainly dedicated to repairing White Line (refrigeration, washing) and Brown (electronics) appliances.
• 80% of those surveyed employ between 1 and 5 people, the majority being self-employed.
• 80% of those surveyed saw their activity reduced by 100%, resulting in a NIL income level in the period.
• 65% of those surveyed claim NOT TO BE ABLE TO PAY the March salaries of the employed personnel. Only 12% will be able to pay March but not April.
• 58% of those surveyed claim to have outstanding debts with AFIP, Provincial Revenues and the Municipality, which they cannot afford due to not being able to collect.
• 36% of those surveyed say they have Payment Plans of some type, pending with collection agencies.
• 62% of the workshops will need, in order to survive, some type of subsidy for micro, small and medium-sized companies.
• Regarding payment for services, more than 50% say they will be able to afford them as long as they can return to their normal activities, while 37% say they CANNOT pay for them.
• 70% of those surveyed claim to be tenants and 100% said that they will not be able to pay the rental fee as they do not have income.

The survey shows that almost all of the workshops have had their income cut off due to the quarantine. This implies that the vast majority will not be able to pay salaries, rents, taxes and services.

So we need:

1º) The urgent intervention of the State to cover the salaries of our employees, otherwise, means that in the very short term they will have to fire the personnel in charge so that they receive direct assistance from the state.

2º) We request to be able to access subsidies, to avoid bankruptcy and face expenses inherent to the activity.

And finally as short-term progressive corrective measures:

3º) We request that the operation of the activity be authorized, with the appropriate health precautions, taking into account the very low incidence of the possibility of contagion due to the low interaction of workers with clients; a much smaller interaction than, e.g. that of a Pharmacy or a Hardware Store, activities authorized by the reference decree and by the importance of the service, because the population cannot do without their refrigerator, their TV or their washing machine, essential elements to keep the population in quarantine.

Juan Carlos Quikuen – Secretary

Carlos A. Gagliardi – President