María del Carmen Magdalena Pérez
María del Carmen Magdalena Pérez, 48, O Grove, Galicia:
The name conjures up images of a flamenco dancer. Or at least a TV presenter. Actually, María works in a fish factory, a canning factory for sardines in oil, and has done for 23 years. The work is tiring and monotonous. Her shift is from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and in sardine season there is also the odd evening and night shift. María works on a production line with 24 co-workers and places sardines in tins on a continuous conveyor belt. María is happy, even though she does not have a permanent position and even though, for the last 23 years, she has not known if she will still have a job the following year. However, when her husband lost his job as a construction worker, money became tight. Her earnings were not enough to feed the entire family. And her 24-year-old daughter cannot find work, despite having two university degrees. »It makes you angry about the crisis, that there are no jobs. It makes you consider leaving.« In the end, however, they stayed here. Her husband has since found work. María laughs heartily. »This is a great place to live. And it is a good job. It's fun.« It is 11 o'clock when we say our goodbyes. María still has another three hours of sardine-canning to go. Four or five per tin, depending on size.