Written By,Over the years, women have been key participants in the work force, labor unions, and strikes. Recently, women have taken part in organizing the labor in the maquiladoras in Mexico. The duty-free assembly plants located on the U.S./Mexican border, known as maquiladoras, have threatened and abused their workers and repeatedly ignored the labor laws. Women have begun to take a stand and fight for their rights as well as for their fellow workers.
First, it is best to explore the origin and function of the maquiladora in the economy. Mexico's Border Industrialization Program of 1966 first established the maquiladoras. The plants must operate within the framework of Mexican laws, and the Mexican government is free to place restrictions on them. For a U.S. company to be incorporated into Mexico, it must submit detailed information about its products, manufacturing process, expenses, jobs created, and a list of all the necessary equipment. Then the company will receive approval to operate under a maquiladora program and will be issued a permit. Once the maquiladora is operating, the company will transport goods for repair or assembly to Mexico duty-free. Once assembled, the products are exported back to the U.S. with a tax added to the value (Martinez). Some of the companies with maquiladora status include Hyindai, Sony, General Electric, Ford, Zenith, Sara Lee and Wal-Mart (Kourous).
There are many advantages of the maquiladoras, which creates incentive for more companies to join. For the U.S., the foremost advantage is a plethora of low wage employees with high quality skills. Many companies have reported a saving of up to $30,000 per direct labor employee per year (Manufacturing). Also, the border plants offer quick delivery, reduced costs and special tariff treatment. The primary advantage to the Mexican border towns is the vast opening of jobs and opportunity for employment. In addition, the maquiladoras provide a thriving export economy for Mexico.
With all this economic power, it is easy to see why the maquiladoras have continued to grow. Removal of restrictions on non-Mexican ownership of plants in 1972 was important to the expansion of the maquiladora program. We have seen an incline in establishments and employees, especially in recent years. In 1997, there were 1,800 U.S. owned plants that employed half a million workers (Martinez). In one year, the amount of plants grew to almost 4,000 and employed more than one million workers in 1998 (Kourous). The rapid growth of the maquiladoras is astonishing and will most likely continue to rise.
While the U.S. seems to prosper from the addition of maquiladora plants, Mexico has suffered many blows to its economy. As maquiladoras set up in Nogalas, Tijuana, Matamoros, and other small border towns, people flock to these areas seeking jobs. Nogales's Mayor Wencelsao Cota Montoya states that, "Our growth has outstripped our ability to provide services," (Dougherty). Needs of the workers in the plants are ignored and there is little concern for the social environment. There are overwhelming housing and health problems. There is almost no system of waste disposal or wastewater treatment facilities. Pollution from the plants fills the air and thousands of homeless people wander the streets. More maquiladora plants create a greater number of jobs, however it also perpetuates this inevitable cycle of destitution.
The abuse and mistreatment of maquiladora workers rises out of the control and influence that the Mexican side exercises over them and not that of the U.S. company. Although the Mexican law provides sufficient protections for the employees, the factory managers often ignore it. The average maquiladora workers are young girls age's 14-20 years. They often work six days a week in fatiguing ten-hour shifts with few breaks. Earning almost one-fifth of the United State's minimum wage, a maquiladora worker only receives about $.80 to $1.25 an hour (Fair). "They're producing at First World efficiency levels [and] Third World salaries," says Cirilla Quintero Ramirez, a sociologist at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Matamoros (Malkin 18). The average salary of around $50 per week is not nearly enough to support a family. These workers are often unaware of their rights under Mexico's labor law, and therefore change is slow to come.
Low wages and grueling shifts are only the beginning of the hazardous working conditions that the maquiladora workers are exposed to. Industrial accidents and toxic exposures are common in the plants. Often workers are not given adequate training or provided with safety equipment. Physical risks such as noise, heat, vibrations, poor ventilation, and awkward posture have a high occurrence in maquiladoras. "More and more, we are being forced to comply with extreme production quotas. Then they don't provide us with glasses and masks to protect our eyes and throats from the dust. In addition, some managers and supervisors harass us sexually. They try to intimidate men and women who protest against these conditions," said Paty Leyva, a worker at Corrizo manufacturing, a Mexican subtractor for the U.S. apparel industry (Fair). Paty was one of four maquiladora workers who met with members of Congress to reveal the conditions of their workplace.
Women are further subjected to unfair discrimination in the maquiladoras. The Mexican government fails to protect women from pregnancy testing and other violating treatment. Reports find that female workers are routinely subjected to mandatory urine testing and may be forced to resign if they become pregnant. In a letter to Human Rights Watch, Zenith Corporation said, "It is common practice among Mexican and maquiladora employers in Matamoros and Reynosa to inquire about pregnancy status as a pre-existing medical condition." The report concluded that Zenith admitted to screening out pregnant women from its applicant pools in order to avoid company-funded maternity benefits. Many other major corporations also require pregnancy exams as a condition of employment as well as invasive questions about their contraceptive use, menses schedule or sexual habits (Sex). This treatment of women creates separate hiring criteria than men, which is a violation of Mexian federal labor law.
In addition to gender discrimination, women also suffer accounts of sexual harassment. This problem which has been addressed many times in the U.S. poses an even bigger problem in the maquiladoras. Women have less power to correct the behavior of their superiors in their working environment. However, some women refuse to accept this conduct and choose to fight as best as they can. At a company picnic, John Shahid (a company president and chief executive officer) used verbal and physical intimidation to force some of the women to put on a bikini show while he videotaped them. The women sought action through Mexican labor authorities. "I felt humiliated and violated," said Veronica Vasquez Baron, one of the women forced to participate. "Shahid treated us like objects. He thought because he has money he can do anything. I hope Shahid now understands that we are not his property." Shahid did not respond to the accusations but retaliated by closing down the maquiladora, firing the workers, and refusing to pay three months of required severance pay. However, the women took initiative and filed the first lawsuit of its kind in the U.S. Shahid disputed the case and refused to take responsibility for his actions. Vasquez Baron stayed positive though and commented, "Hopefully our actions will set a precedent that can keep this from happening to other workers," (Bowdish). Although this was only a small step to prevent sexual discrimination, it certainly sent out a message. Women are not going to continue to stand by and have their rights violated.
Fighting sexual harassment is only one of the ways workers have begun to fight back. Luckily several organizations have formed and proved to be a great help to maquiladora workers. The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has organized and supported maquiladora workers since it was formed in 1979. The main function of the AFSC is investigating the plants and educating people about what goes on in them. The efforts of the organization include sponsoring reserach and training in order to broaden understanding of the health effects for workers and their communities caused by the rapid growth of the plants. They highlight occurrences such as sex discrimination in the maquiladoras as well. Finally, the AFSC serves as a resource to researchers, reporters, elected officials and others who visit the maquiladoras (Fair). One way they accomplish this is to coordinate interaction between workers and Congress members in order to reveal the working and living conditions of the citizens along the border. Educating people is one of the key tools that will provide change. Thus, the AFSC's services are highly valuable.
The AFSC has helped to establish and work closely with another group called the Comite Fronterizo de Obreras (CFO), or Border Committee of Women Workers, which includes men as well as women. The 17-year-old CFO opened its first office in Piedra Negras Mexico in 1998 with a facility that included luxuries such as a telephone, fax machine, and Internet capabilities. The group grew out of small meetings where women could learn about their legal rights under the Mexican labor code and also could develop strategies for solving problems (Malkin 18). Operating in seven border towns, the CFO encourages workers to demand change for themselves and provides an outlet for workers with grievances. They also set up workshops on safety and prod corrupt unions to stand up for members.
Julia Quinonez runs the CFO and is one of several labor activists, many of them fearless women who have come off the factory floor, now helping to improve conditions in the maquiladoras. Quinonez visits the plants and meets with workers. She listens to their problems and offers encouragement. Her method is to "motivate people, give them self-esteem," she says. Her tactics often include role-playing to prepare workers for interacting with their bosses. In one instance, workers in a garment factory desperately needed fans to suck up suffocating dust and fibers, but their requests were ignored. After contriving a plan of action, the workers rehearsed the confrontation. Once they were prepared, a worker allowed the dust to settle on her for an entire shift. Later, covered in dust and backed by colleagues, the worker confronted the manager who agreed to implement the fans. Quinonez has inspired further victories. In 1996, she and two Mexican workers attended Aluminum Co. of America's annual meeting in Pittsburgh. They reported the distressing conditions in ALCOA's joint-venture plants along the border. Toxic fumes had previously overwhelmed dozens of people on the assembly line. Only shortly after the meeting, ALCOA fired key managers who had been responsible for covering up the incident and proceeded to raise wages in its Mexican plants by $5 per week. ALCOA management complied further by requiring management to regularly consult with the CFO on problems. Although Quinonez celebrates many victories for the maquiladora workers, she also receives her share of setbacks. On August 18, 1998, a meeting in San Antonio was canceled because immigration agents wouldn't allow Quinonez and 10 workers into the U.S. However, a minor glitch as such is not about to stop her. "They can take away 20 of us, and there will be 100 more behind," states Quinonez (Malkin 18). The determination of women like Quinonez and the workers she inspires is continually improving conditions little by little.
The CFO has celebrated the following victories:
It is no secret that mistreatment is
a commonplace occurrence in Mexico's maquiladoras. However, awareness
is growing, and it is the key to preventing further abuse of the workers.
With organizational help, women have begun to stand up for their rights
and regain their dignity. When combined, small successes from plant
to plant make all the effort worthwhile. Conditions are beginning
to improve and the outlook of the border plants is getting better.
Women have a long way to go before they are given the compensation and
respect that they deserve. However, their actions are not going unnoticed,
and they will be rewarded in small yet significant ways.
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(20 Mar. 1999).
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http://collectron.com/
(20 Mar. 1999).
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Should U.S. Companies Run for the Border?"
The Latin American Alliance. 1997. http://www.latinsynergy.org/maquiladoras.html
(26 Feb 99).
"Sex Discrimination in Mexico's Maquiladora
Sector". Human Rights Watch
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(3 Mar 1999).
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