Article: Waking Up Sleeping Dogs - ARGENTINE TRANSLATORS - Capable and Cheap: An Irresistible Combination
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Feb 18, 2007

This topic is for discussion of the ProZ.com translation article "Waking Up Sleeping Dogs - ARGENTINE TRANSLATORS - Capable and Cheap: An Irresistible Combination".

 
jmleger
jmleger  Identity Verified
Local time: 04:55
English to French
+ ...
Rates discussions Feb 27, 2007

Since times eternal rates have been at the center of discussions amond translators. You may be too young to remember but the ATA Chronical ran some articles on the topic with the eager participation of the masses. That was until the FTC or Federal Trade Commission woke up to it and sued the Association for breach of the antitrust legislation. The ATA fought in court for a long time and ended up paying a hefty fine. You'd be hard-pressed nowadays to find anything about rates in the pages of the A... See more
Since times eternal rates have been at the center of discussions amond translators. You may be too young to remember but the ATA Chronical ran some articles on the topic with the eager participation of the masses. That was until the FTC or Federal Trade Commission woke up to it and sued the Association for breach of the antitrust legislation. The ATA fought in court for a long time and ended up paying a hefty fine. You'd be hard-pressed nowadays to find anything about rates in the pages of the ATA Chronicle. What if tomorrow the FTC decided to look into the discussion of rates on Proz.com? Because I am a daily user, I'd hate to see the site get in trouble. I am not a lawyer and I don't even play one on TV, but I have seen the ATA take a btoadside from the government. I am not sure how immune Proz.com is from that, but it might not be a bad idea to find out.

As to the fact that people will hire Argentine translator because the price is lower. I hate to break it to you but equally low prices can be found throughout Latin America, where people are equally as well trained as in Argentina. The free market forces will go where the getting is good for the simple reason that competition in, say, more prosperous countries is fierce. In order to meet the needs of ever demanding clients, agencies in the UK and elsewhere have to search for the best possible deal. Their own survival is at stake. The view that European or American companies are living high on the hog while poor translators are being exploited is simply not true. The climate has never been harshest for outsourcers, who have to be very inventive to keep on the right side of the wind.
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Adam Warren
Adam Warren  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 10:55
Member (2005)
French to English
The name of the game: consulting, networking, and organising Jan 8, 2008

Hullo, Aurora;

I was shocked to hear of Argentinian colleagues being made to survive on 3 US cents a word, and even more so, to learn from another colleague in this forum that a while ago, the ATA managed to get busted in an anti-trust suit on a similar matter.

It is worth seeking legal advice to protect yourselves - even physically, if necessary - against this kind of pressure from powerful economic interests within the Argentinian jurisdiction, and yet network and org
... See more
Hullo, Aurora;

I was shocked to hear of Argentinian colleagues being made to survive on 3 US cents a word, and even more so, to learn from another colleague in this forum that a while ago, the ATA managed to get busted in an anti-trust suit on a similar matter.

It is worth seeking legal advice to protect yourselves - even physically, if necessary - against this kind of pressure from powerful economic interests within the Argentinian jurisdiction, and yet network and organise locally, which from your article I assume you are doing.

A possible legal defence in the event of an anti-trust lawsuit is "abuse of a dominant position" by Joe Blowfeatures, "economic hardship in the profession" and "privilege": the facts adduced in your defence are true, since the rates elsewhere are out of all proportion, and inflation is so high in South America that such low rates as are paid to you are economically unjustifiable.

My support for your cause is purely moral, I'm afraid, but you do need to concert (network) and consult (experts) to drive your rates upwards. I greatly hope you succeed, and manage to maintain a creditable professional position for yourself and your colleagues.

Feliz Año Nuevo

Adam.
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Article: Waking Up Sleeping Dogs - ARGENTINE TRANSLATORS - Capable and Cheap: An Irresistible Combination






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