Gary MacEoin

In the following viewpoint, Gary MacEoin maintains that employees in maquilas—Central American factories owned by transnational corporations—are subject to serious human rights abuses. He contends that these workers, primarily young women, are paid less than half the amount needed to feed a family of four. In addition, MacEoin asserts, these employees suffer numerous illnesses, experience indignities such as verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and beatings, and
have been prevented by their employers from unionizing. MacEoin concludes that the conditions experienced by maquila workers are a new type of slavery. MacEoin is a writer whose articles have appeared in publications such as the National Catholic Reporter and American Catholic.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is the minimum legal wage in Mexico, as stated by the author?
2. According to MacEoin, from what...