Garment Maquiladoras in the South

Abstract

The aggregated economic impact of textile maquiladoras in rural Yucatán has recently been studied, but little is known about the characteristics of the maquila workforce there. A case study of a garment maquiladora in Motul in 2003 focused on these characteristics and provides insight into the region’s maquiladora operations. In contrast to northern urban maquiladoras, the Motul garment maquiladora has attracted mainly young workers, primarily men. Similar to its northern urban counterparts, it is characterized by low salaries, high turnover, and limited use of Mexican inputs.