Precarious Existences in a Divided City

The free trade model...is based on the hyper-exploitation of workers. They are stripped of basic workers’ rights and forced to work in harsh conditions for low wages. Production that was moving to China in the 2000s with China’s entry into the World Trade Organization is now moving back into Mexico, primarily along the U.S.-Mexico border. In return, Mexico does not tax the maquiladoras for the goods that are assembled, so long as they return to the country of origin and do not enter the Mexican economy. This incentive, coupled with cheap labor and lower transportation costs, leads to cheaper goods that are more competitive in the global market, making the maquiladoras’ border location highly profitable...

The city of Juarez is divided. On the east side are the factories. On the west side, workers live in impoverished neighborhoods. People live a precarious existence in structures of cardboard or wood pallets that are the garbage produced by the maquiladoras...

Maria — who asked that her last name be withheld because she is currently employed at the company — is 25 years old and works at Rio Bravo Electricas #5. Maria connects cables for automotive parts, including for Tesla. Maria works from 4 p.m. to 6 a.m. and is paid 1,500 pesos per week, about $79. When she makes a mistake, the supervisor sends her home for the day without pay as a punishment. Supervisors discipline workers for talking on the job. If Maria asks to be off for a few hours, she is not granted permission. If she leaves work early, she loses the entire day’s pay, and is further punished by losing another day’s pay. When they have a lot of work, she is forced to do extra hours. “Maquilas are always using you. It is never in your favor,” Maria said.

Maria said that she has a child with problems whom she has to take to neurologists and other doctors. Her supervisor has been pressuring her for sex when she asks for permission for time off work. He further pressured her by giving her harder jobs. He told her that management will believe anything that he tells them. By chance, she met the head of human relations, to whom she told her plight. She moved Maria to another part of the plant. Nothing was done to the supervisor...

The fact-finding delegation after the 2015 Ciudad Juarez maquiladora strike included Karl Kramer, back, third from left, and Elvia Sanchez Villescas of Las Hormigas on the right.