100 JAAP BROEKEMA
Starting up business
Most contractors started working in solid waste collection with the introduction of the
unit system in September 1998. They applied for a contract after reading the tender
notice in the newspaper. Sometimes friends informed them. Most respondents moti-
vated their choice to enter the profession by saying that ‘it is just another method to
earn a living’. In addition, some contractors stated that they already had a truck on
their own, which made the decision easier, while others pointed at the investments and
administrative requirements being low. None of the contractors had acquired special
skills or training before they started to carry out solid waste collection services.
However, none of them considered this to be a handicap. Some argued that the MCH
had provided them with sufficient information while others regarded the work as
comparatively simple or stated that they could call upon experienced labourers who
had worked for other contractors in the past. In addition, some contractors referred to
the principle of ‘learning by doing’.
Considering these optimistic views it is interesting to see with what kind of starting
problems the contractors were confronted with. One third of the contractors claimed
not to have experienced any specific problem in the start-off period. The most
frequently mentioned problem was gathering the funds needed for investment and
EMD. Other, less frequently cited problems were lack of specific working experience,
recruitment of labourers and labour problems (in terms of supervision).
Recruitment and supervision of labourers
A majority (90 percent) of the contractors did not face problems with regard to the
recruitment of labourers Most contractors use the snowball method and ask their
labourers to introduce new labourers to them. Furthermore, the contractors or their
supervisors inquire in the area where they will start their work. They may also contact
local labour leaders at the ‘addas’ (square) to see if he can introduce them to good
workers The requirements the labourers need to fulfil are stated in very general terms:
they should preferably be healthy, young, and experienced, and be residing in or near
the area where they have to work. In case a contractor takes over from another one they
recruit among the labour force of the former operator. The majority of contractors
emphasised that the labourers themselves prefer to continue to work in their current
unit(s). With regard to new recruitments contractors usually stick to a maximum age
between 40 and 45 years Nevertheless, it seems age is not an important selection crite-
rion, contrary to what is often said in the literature (referring to the higher productivity
of younger workers). Many contractors seem to believe that the labourers do not have
a very heavy job as they only work 6 hours per day.