Aseadores de calzado en la vía pública. Un estudio de caso para la ciudad de Monterrey, Nuevo León, México

This research analyze the street shoe cleaners activity in Monterrey city, in order to know the labor conditions of their workers, the working tools and facilities ownership, their propensity to affiliate in unions, their relationships with the government, as well as the challenges they face in the daily development of its activity. To meet these purposes, we mainly used a qualitative methodology through a case study. It was found that the shoe cleaners faces significant challenges, being the most important the low propensity for collective organization in unions, derived from the duality in the possession of production means, because people who rent their working tools and facilities have a low propensity to engage in common activities. On the other hand, the workers who are not in the union, cannot enjoy the benefits such as help against injury or death, which although limited, it is a support in difficult times.