Urbanism and privatisation: The case of Madrid's street cleaning system (1975 – 2000)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to shed light on the effects of the only privatisation that existed in the street cleaning service in Madrid. Framed within the international processes of privatisation since the 1970s and through a search in historical archives, it analyses the political-administrative and social factors that influenced this privatisation and its consequences on labour relations in the sector. Finally, the hypothesis of the planning of the privatisation of the service, the existence of differences with the political parties in the municipal government of Madrid and the effects of privatisation on the dualisation of working conditions affecting the further development of the service in the different districts of Madrid are tested.JEL Code: H75, I18, N9.

Keywords

• urban management
• street cleaning
• municipal solid waste
• industrial relations
• privatisation of public services