Women also face sexual harassment, unequal pay for the same work as men and a glass ceiling that prevents their promotion to middle management. Some women even pay with their lives when they move to the border to find work. There have been 180 murders of young women in Ciudad Ju rez over the last six years, most of them maquila workers. As articles in this Feature point out, these murders are a grisly reminder of the social costs of free trade. Although Mexico has tough environmental laws, enforcement is lax.
Companies pollute freely, degrading the border environment.
Toxic waste, which should be returned to the US or other countries by law, is often stored on site, posing a health risk to both workers and surrounding communities. Border communities report a deterioration of public health ranging from respiratory problems to skin irritations and neurological disorders believed to be caused by industrial pollution. Occupational health and safety laws also go unenforced in Mexico, where workers are routinely exposed to a range of solvents, glues and other toxic chemicals, often without adequate protection. Warning labels are frequently in English, making them of little use to a Spanish-speaking workforce. Workers often leave their jobs rather than endure the harassment that demanding enforcement of occupational safety codes would bring.