Bonuses are offered for high levels of weekly production, but these levels are routinely difficult if not impossible to meet in two weeks. One pass is provided to a group of about 35 workers to allow the passholder to go to the rest room or to see a supervisor. Physical as well as verbal abuse of workers are common in the maquilas. For example, Johnny Chew, a Taiwanese plant manager, physically attacked workers in his plant in 1990. Although Nicaraguan law required him to leave the country within 24 hours, he is still in Nicaragua today.
Supervisors sometimes demand sex from women workers.
Women who refuse are fired, and with 60 percent unemployment this harrassment is difficult to resist. Maquilas also dump waste in water sources that people must use. It has been necessary to organize in secret, and the secrecy has made organizing particularly difficult. The Clandestine Commissions have organized in 12 of the 18 maquilas, and they currently have 2300 members. They are preparing to begin organizing publicly in the very near future, and they expect powerful opposition.