Strikes are rapidly spreading beyond of the maquiladoras in Matamoros, Tamaulipas as workers are demanding better pay and working conditions. Workers at more than 27 non-maquiladora businesses walked off the job yesterday alone. As noted previously, this strike action represents the real threat to the bourgeoisie who fear it will spread not only to other border state maquiladoras but across the country.Over the last several weeks workers at 48 maquiladoras in Matamoros, many making as little $1 US and hour, had walked off the job demanding a 20% wage increase and a 30,000-peso bonus. A paltry demand for impoverished workers virtually enslaved in oppressive working conditions with the lowest wages in the Western World. With this new spread of strike action yesterday, workers are referring to their growing “movement” as Movimiento 20/30 to reflect the previous demands of the maquiladora workers.But behind the immediate demand for higher wages is a growing protest directed against the union taskmasters who work at the behest of the boss. mcclatchydc.com At Blanquita, a water purification company, 170 workers walked off the job as they denounced not only exploitation of their employer but the indifference of the union to their cause as well.
