Networkers

Networkers
In Spain´s northwest coast of Galicia networkers have been carrying out an indispensable job to the fishing community for years, and today they continue to fight for labour improvements as well as for the recognition of their profession. Net manufacturing and repairing has historically been performed by women, but the poor working conditions make this manual and qualified job lacking generational replacement.
Networkers contribute to social security according to the Special Sea Regime, but their salary is very low and they are the only workers in the sector who do not have early retirement. Net repairing involves spending many hours in wet and cold warehouses in the same position, as well as the execution of repetitive movements that result in musculoskeletal disorders and other physical discomforts.
Networkers perform repetitive exercises through long working hours in conditions of high humidity, which usually results in arthrosis or tendon and carpal tunnel problems. Nowadays, due to the poor working conditions, there is hardly any generational replacement and the average age of working women stands at 55 years.