lunes, 21 de febrero de 2011

Visit to Maquiladora: Globalization at Work

Continuing our study of globalization issues, this week we had the opportunity to visit a maquiladora. Maquiladoras are production factories that work with clothing products, electronics and other materials that can be similarly assembled. Since the implementation of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) in 1994, more and more U.S. companies have used maquiladoras for their production – often sending the raw materials to Mexico and then receiving the finished goods back in the U.S. However, U.S. companies are not the only ones to utilize this means of production and unfortunately, many take on sweatshop labor conditions. Long hours, lack of benefits, fear of organizing and unsafe work conditions are characteristics of some maquilas.
We visited a maquila that produces high-end swimwear – and were constantly reminded by this fact by huge photos of models in swimsuits placed around the facility. The feeling among us walking around could be described as “uncomfortable.” We had a difficult time distinguishing whether or not we should “feel bad” for watching people work – I certainly wouldn´t appreciate people (especially foreigners) walking around analyzing the work I was doing. However, that does not necessarily mean that people were unappreciative of our presence or unhappy with their work. These are not judgments we can make for ourselves, they would have to result from conversations with the workers. Unfortunately, we were only allowed conversations with managers and supervisors – both men, while the majority of workers were women. These class, gender and racial (the color of the managers was in general noticeably lighter) separations are those found in many of our interactions and help to continue the alienation we experience on either side of these divides.

Regardless of our personal feelings regarding the visit (and we all certainly had different ones), I think it is important to see the means of production in order to fully understand globalization or transnational capitalism. To read about NAFTA in a book is different to see Mexican workers cutting and sewing imported fabric that will then be re-imported back to the U.S. And confronting some uncomfortable situations of this reality is important and many of us don´t do it as much as we should. It helps us to question ourselves and challenge the structures within which we live.

One question that remains with me is: How is it possible that the women and men working
in the maquila we visited will probably receive weekly wages that equal less than the amount that a woman in the United States will pay for just one bathing suit? How is this possible? What are the solutions? To find out, we will keep learning, keep discussing, keep sharing our experiences and opinions, and hopefully be closer to some answers when we are finished. Maybe we won´t, but then again, maybe we will.

-Anna Loizeaux

2 comentarios:

  1. The Maquilladora was probably one of the most striking experiences in all of my time in Mexico. One of the strongest experiences was the feeling of just being so uncomfortable right when we walked in, and having the feeling that everyone was staring at us. Or the fact that even though the pieces of the swim suits were originally made in Mexico and then shipped to LA for further assembly and then shipped back and finished in Mexico- if a Mexican worker wants to (or better yet- is able to) buy the swimsuit that they just made, they would have to pay more because according to trade laws the swimsuits are an imported good. There are just way too many things to say.

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