Maquildadora trade essays

Maquildadora trade essays I write this paper on behalf of the Maquila Solidarity Network, in order to draw further attention to the treatment of female workers in Mexican Maquiladoras. There are close to a million maquiladora workers in Mexico and over three thousand factories. Many of the workers are girls and young women from 14 to 20 years old. They work six days a week in grueling 10-hour shifts with very few breaks. Working conditions are often hazardous, and industrial accidents and toxic exposures are common. Since the onslaught of globalization issues of health and Safety, wage rates and mistreatment of workers has become more evident and more problematic than ever. Heath and Safety complaints have been made about the lack of safety regulations in factories, and these complaints have not resulted in any significant change. By remaining idle, employers merely increase the possibility for future accidents to occur. In late 1996, for example, PROFEPA (Mexicos environmental enforcement authority) closed a Jurez-based Maquila owned by Bobinas del Sur after an explosion involving toxic substances left eight workers with third-degree burns(Online: us-mex.org/borderlines/1998/bl47/bl47ohs.html). Working conditions for employees have proven to be extremely unhealthy, and in some cases deadly. The most common effects are migraines, allergies, skin problems, back problems, arthritis, as well as asthma and other lung diseases. Considering that some workers are sitting on metal chairs staring at sewing machines for hours on end, it is no wonder that they are suffering from these ailments. The repetitive manual labour can lead to chronic elbow, forearm, or shoulder pain. Little action has been taken in order to correct the basics of ergonomic hazards and solvent exposures. Workers in most Mexican Maquilas on average earn between $0.80 and $1.25 an hour. They work approximately 12-hour days, when the legal limit in ...