Abstract
This article analyzes a professional training program, developed by the Hotel and Gastronomic Business Federation of Argentina from 2011 to 2017: the “National Maid Tournament.” This program combines training activities with a competition that takes place in various stages and cities of the country. The analysis of this program allows us to address the way in which technical and relational skills are articulated in service occupations, particularly in those activities with little direct contact with clients. Based on institutional material from the business federation and journalistic sources, we explore how cleaning work in hotel rooms is defined (the skills and competencies it requires) from the perspective of employers and workers who participate in the competitions.
Keywords:
Service work; Working conditions; Cleaning services; Hotel work; Intimate labor