Cooperativism and Solidarity Economy: The constitution of a Cooperative of Solid Waste Collectors in São Joaquim (Brazil)

Abstract

This article aims at analyzing perceptions of people involved in developing a cooperative of solid waste collectors in São Joaquim, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. This research was conducted by members of the Technological Incubator of Popular Cooperatives at Universidade do Planalto Catarinense (ITCP/Uniplac), a permanent extension program whose mission is to incubate and provide technical support to existing solidarity economy enterprises in the Plateau region of Santa Catarina. This qualitative research is a field research in which the data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with three collectors and three supporting partners: a local government representative and two partners operating at the Intermunicipal Consortium Santa Catarina da Serra (CISAMA), a public enterprise. The achieved results indicate relevant elements such as the key role of government and the legal basis for the constitution of the cooperative; the difficult context of the collectors and the difficulties underlying the formation of the cooperative; the importance of support organizations in this process and the understanding of the cooperative as a democratic collective work.

Keywords: cooperative, collectors of solid waste, Solidarity Economy.