Maquiladora Plants Don’t Exploit Mexican Workers and Take Jobs Away From the U.S.

Harry Bernstein’s Feb. 9 column, “U.S., Mexican Unionists Teaming Up on Border Dilemma,” is misleading. Bernstein argues that maquiladora plants exploit Mexican workers and take jobs away from American workers. I strongly believe that both points are wrong.

Mexico, like the United States, has a minimum wage law. Historically, the Mexican government has increased the minimum wage three to four times a year. Maquiladora plants fully comply with Mexican wage, health and safety laws. They also make profit-sharing, housing and Social Security contributions on behalf of their workers and many also offer training, transportation and other kinds of benefits.

The result: Mexican workers are eager to work in maquiladoras. As Bernstein points out, employment in such plants has grown 40% over the past year.

I wonder if Bernstein or the union leaders he mentions have taken the time to visit some of the U.S. subsidiaries in Mexico, many of which are model facilities. Spending time in those pleasant working environments and talking with the workers will convince any open-minded person that these workers take great pride in their labor and in themselves.

The standard of living in Mexico is not that of the United States, but it is improving, and maquiladoras have made a significant contribution toward raising that standard.

That brings me to Bernstein’s second point about the “exportation of American jobs.” Once again, this is simply not the case. For every American-run maquiladora in Mexico, there is a parent operation in the United States that most likely has manufacturing, distribution and sales. Many American companies suffer in the world market because they are not competitive. A maquiladora may improve competitiveness, thereby allowing the company to keep the U.S. side of its operations open.

Offshore production is not new. Companies from the United States, Japan and other nations have been shifting operations to countries offering lower production costs, such as Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and the Philippines for decades. Mexico is a latecomer to the offshore production market.

Many U.S. companies have remained competitive solely because of their access to offshore production plants. Without such plants, many American businesses would have been forced to shut down. And there are no jobs at all in a shut-down business.

LESLIE K. BROWNE CAZAS

Los Angeles

The writer is an international trade consultant and a director of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Pacific Chapter.