Wages
Hours
Maquiladora workers are paid low wages for hard and long hours of work. A normal work week for a maquiladora worker ranges from 48-60 hours per week not including weekends, compared to an average of 40 hours for a 6 day week in the U.S. Extra hours worked are paid at same rate, and taking a day-off from work can very costly to the worker. |
(original image source: http://the-philosophical-fish.ca/)
Edited with FotoFlexer |
(original image source: http://www.infranetlab.org) - Edited with FotoFlexer
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Low wages
Despite working long hours doing many times strenuous and dangerous work, maquila workers earn only 50 cents to 1 dollar per hour. At this rate, a worker in a maquiladora working 8-10 hours would earn about $8 dollars for a day’s work. With such low wages, workers barely make enough money to make ends meet, leaving them without any savings or hopes of leaving the maquila one day. Generally the salary of one person is not enough to sustain a family of 2-3, thus many children are forced to enter the maquila sector to help out their families. While child labor is outlawed, children as young as 11-12 still make their way into the maquila with false identification. |
Buying Power
While living in Mexico is not as expensive as in the U.S., buying power has greatly decreased since the Mexican peso devalued in 1995. The Mexican peso continues devaluing while wages in maquiladoras have for the most part stayed stagnant. Food and clothing have also become more expensive over the years, making the basic necessities of maquila workers hard to meet.
While living in Mexico is not as expensive as in the U.S., buying power has greatly decreased since the Mexican peso devalued in 1995. The Mexican peso continues devaluing while wages in maquiladoras have for the most part stayed stagnant. Food and clothing have also become more expensive over the years, making the basic necessities of maquila workers hard to meet.
Below is a pictogram showing the differences in buying power between Mexican maquiladora workers, and United States minimum wage workers. The maquiladora worker, who usually will work a much more difficult job than the U.S. minimum wage worker, will have to work an hour to an hour and a half to purchase a kilogram of rice. The United States minimum wage worker, will have to work just ten minutes to purchase the same bag of rice.
Created by Garcia - CAT 125
Buying Power Pictogram Sources:
Maquiladora Worker: http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/42/100842-004-DCCD2AEC.jpg
McDonald's Worker: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_04/LukeWorkingWNS_468x356.jpg
10 Minute Clock: http://butchbellah.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/10-minute-trainer-reviews.jpgRice: http://www.caldosmediterraneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Paquete-arroz-bomba-1-Kilo.jpg
Header Image Sources:
Header1 source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/mexicos-drug-violence-drags-down-economic-recovery-59132-page-2.html
Header2 source: http://www.americanjobsalliance.com/blog/trash-trucks-assembled-mexico-prompt-questions-nm-city
Header3 source: http://www.npr.org/2011/11/20/142536024/border-town-factories-give-manufacturers-an-edge
Maquiladora Worker: http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/42/100842-004-DCCD2AEC.jpg
McDonald's Worker: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_04/LukeWorkingWNS_468x356.jpg
10 Minute Clock: http://butchbellah.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/10-minute-trainer-reviews.jpgRice: http://www.caldosmediterraneo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Paquete-arroz-bomba-1-Kilo.jpg
Header Image Sources:
Header1 source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/mexicos-drug-violence-drags-down-economic-recovery-59132-page-2.html
Header2 source: http://www.americanjobsalliance.com/blog/trash-trucks-assembled-mexico-prompt-questions-nm-city
Header3 source: http://www.npr.org/2011/11/20/142536024/border-town-factories-give-manufacturers-an-edge