WELCOME TO THE ARCHIVE (1994-2014) OF THE MAQUILA SOLIDARITY NETWORK. For current information on our ongoing work on the living wage, women's labour rights, freedom of association, corporate accountability and Bangladesh fire and safety, please visit our new website, launched in October, 2015: www.maquilasolidarity.org
Vaqueros Navarra workers took to the streets this month as growing evidence suggests their factory was closed to eliminate an independent union.
Workers at the Vaqueros Navarra jean factory in Tehuacan, Mexico who voted to be represented by the independent September 19 Union are facing new stumbling blocks as they struggle to secure their victory. MSN and the Union are calling on brands to place new orders with the factory to ensure it reopens after the holiday break.
On November 23, workers at the Vaqueros Navarra jean factory in Tehuacan, Mexico stood up to their employer and voted to be represented by an independent union.
An October 18 letter from three major US brands addressed to senior management of the Mexican blue jean manufacturer, Grupo Navarra, verifies worker allegations that the company has been harassing, dismissing and forcing them to sign resignation letters for attempting to form an independent union.
Workers at the Vaqueros Navarra blue jean factory in Tehuacan, Puebla, Mexico are fighting for an independent, democratic union. They have been harassed, illegally dismissed, pressured, and threatened. This week, 50 more workers have been fired while local authorities stall attempts to remedy the situation.
In response to a request from MSN, six major US apparel brands that buy blue jeans from Mexican jean manufacturer Grupo Navarra are speaking out in favour of the right of workers employed at the Vaqueros Navarra factory in Tehuacan, Mexico to be represented by the union of their free choice.
On December 29, 2005, Martin Barrios Hernández, President of the Mexican Human and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley, was arrested by the intelligence division of the Puebla state police and transported from his home city of Tehuacan to the state capital of Puebla where he was held in state prison. The Maquila Solidarity Network immediately launched an international campaign to win his release from jail and protect him from further harassment and intimidation.
The following is an edited version of an interview by US journalist David Bacon with Julia Quiñonez, the coordinator of the Border Committee of Women Workers. The CFO is a grassroots organization that's led by women and men who work in the maquiladoras. The CFO works in three Mexican states, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Chihuahua. Its purpose is to educate and organize workers around their labor rights. The organization also focuses on discussing the impact of free trade on workers.
On August 18, 2005, MSN and the Mexican women's organization MUTUAC co-sponsored a one-day conference entitled "What lies ahead for the Mexican garment and textile industry? The impact of end of the MFA on the industry and labour rights" featuring presentations by representatives of Mexican garment manufacturing firms, the Mexican government, national and international labour organizations, leading international brands, and Mexican labour rights organizations. Read about it here.
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