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Mexico's 'maquiladora' labor system keeps workers in poverty

Mexico's 'maquiladora' labor system keeps workers in poverty | Human Interest | Scoop.it

Some four decades after welcoming foreign assembly plants and factories, known as maquiladoras, Mexico has seen only a trickle of its industrial and factory workers join the ranks of those who even slightly resemble a middle class.

 

Despite making such consumer goods like BlackBerry smartphones, plasma TVs, appliances and cars that most people in the US, for instance, consider necessities, Mexican workers in these factories seldom get to enjoy these items because, as this article argues, the labor system keeps them in poverty.  Foreign investment in these businesses keep unions out and attracts workers from poorer areas, allowing low-cost labor to prevail.  Less than $8 a day is the going wage - great for the bottom line and consumer prices but very bleak for those who toil in this system.


Via Dean Haakenson
Jessica Rieman's curator insight, February 4, 2014 12:47 PM

The labor system keeps workers in Poverty. This is the argument that is transitioned by stating the fact that many factory workers are and will always remian in poverty if they have no oppurtunity to move up in the food chain and become educated in order to get themselves out of poverty. They need different skills in order to aquire a better job to create a better life.  

Edgar Manasseh Jr.'s curator insight, February 11, 2015 11:33 PM

Its a very sad situation reading this. Seeing people go through all this to just survive. Kids don't even get any education and follow their parents footsteps to work at a plant just to be able to pay for bills. 8 dollars a day, and you wonder why they try to run to united states. Its very unfortunate that a lot of people go through this and i hope it changes soon, because to see that this is going on makes me thankful for what i have around me. Foreign investors are not great as they set out to be take advantage of the poor and get rich out of it, i think its pretty ridiculous.

Matt Danielson's curator insight, September 24, 2018 1:31 PM
This is a sad story of struggling in Mexican factories. These factories are a double sided blade. The plus is that these factories bring in jobs and relative safety to the communities( more jobs=less crime, also id imagine factories garner more protection provided by the state via police). The downside is the stagnant low wages and terrible living conditions. Though wages are better than they previously were they are not rising near the rate of other countries going through similar economic change. This reminds me of what the industrial revolution was like in the United States.
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Brazilian Geography Lessons

Brazilian Geography Lessons | Human Interest | Scoop.it

“The thing about football - the important thing about football -is that it is not just about football."

Jordan Schemmel's curator insight, May 21, 2014 1:02 PM

For those of you soccer fans, the upcoming World Cup and Olympics in 2016 will both be significant challenges for Brazil, considering both their political, economic, and urban challenges. Brazil was a bold choice for both events, but will they meet the challenge?

Jared Medeiros's curator insight, January 28, 2015 9:46 PM

This seems to be a great and fun way to get kids involved in learning something new.  It uses multiple ways to get kids to learn and remember at the same time while keeping it fun and interesting.  This could be used for many major sporting events around the world, including men and women world cups and the olympics.  It could also be used domestically to learn about different cities in America, specifically cities or regions that host the Super Bowl, World Series, or any other major sporting event.  Great geography and social studies tool.