Industrial Relocation and Changes in the Daily Life of Workers: Between the Aburrá and San Nicolás Valleys (Colombia)

Abstract

The manufacturing deconcentration in the Aburrá Valley during the first decades of the 21st century has been promoted by local governments to reduce industrial uses in the area in favor of commercial and residential development, shifting the former to municipalities mainly located in the eastern Antioquian region. The research aimed to understand the changes in the daily lives of relocated workers who commute back and forth between these two subregions of Antioquia. It employed a primarily qualitative methodology, using rhythmanalysis as a tool for identification, comparison, and as a generator of rhythmic interferences, complemented by interviews with workers and employers at the workplace. The study found that most workers quit their jobs in the medium term, and among those who remain, it is women who bear a greater burden, due to their additional reproductive work and the means of transportation they use.