Popular Press
Maquiladoras-NAFTA's Sweatshops
San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center (Indybay)
(2009)
Abstract
Maquiladoras, the factories located on the Mexican side of the U.S. border are a direct result of NAFTA, the North America Free Trade Agreement treaty signed in 1994 by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico eliminating most tariffs, allowing goods and capital, but not workers, to cross the borders with minimal limitations or taxes.Â
The agreement, designed to stimulate trade in each of the three countries, was designed by trade negotiators with corporate backgrounds, to benefit manufacturing corporations. Without subsistence farmers or factory workers from either country at the table, their concerns were left out of the treaty. Life is very difficult for maquiladora workers, but often worse for those left in the villages or urban mega-cities they left behind.
Disciplines
Publication Date
May 2, 2009
Citation Information
Gil J. Villagran. "Maquiladoras-NAFTA's Sweatshops" San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center (Indybay) (2009) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gil_villagran/19/