In Nicaragua, maquilas have become the main source of income over the years. Until 2019, the country had 52 industrial parks and 226 companies but due to the social situation and the Covid-19 pandemic, massive layoffs took place and many companies closed their doors without paying compensation to their workers.
Since 2020, hundreds of young people have emigrated to other countries (Costa Rica, Mexico, USA, Spain, El Salvador). With the loss of investors in the country, the job shortage further impoverished households directly dependent on those large global supply chains, as many of these young people lacked the professional education that would have enabled them to find other formal work options.
Dear women of the world,
Happy International Women's Day 2024!
Today we are celebrating the incredible strength, resilience, and achievements of women from all walks of life. It is a day to honor the progress we have made and to acknowledge the work that still lies ahead in achieving gender equality.
If you are a recent graduate or a young worker from the province, looking for your first job or having been looking for work for a long time in the Manila metropolitan area, offers may exist, but these are usually contractual agreements. Some of you may be hesitant to take on these positions, while some have no option but to accept the job. This reality is reflected in many testimonies of YCW members in Valenzuela City.
YCW Philippines, together with other trade unions and organizations, is calling for an “ENDO” of the contractualization system in the Philippines. Contractualization is actually bad not just for workers but for all Filipinos. It may take a decade of struggle, but right now, we can already do something about it.
“As for hygiene and safety, they don't give us enough protective equipment, and when we ask for new equipment, it's deducted from our wages. There's no toilet paper in the toilets. Sexual harassment and harassment at work are invisibilized. There is no union in the company, there are only a few people who call themselves ambassadors and are appointed by the employer.”
This is part of Helen's (24) story. She works for a textile company located in a free trade zone in Central America. Her company produces clothing for brands sold all over the world, including, of course, Europe. However, the industrial sewing machines are sold by European, Chinese and North American companies. This is an example of our globalized economy, which is clearly in need of adequate laws concerning international value chains.
In August 2023, Ana Cecilia Salazar from the IYCW International Secretariat and John Ofori, PANAF coordinator, visited the Namibia YCW national movement. Their aim was to support new processes and promote YCW grassroots groups and the continuity of work with young workers.
The two international leaders first wanted to discover the context in which young workers lead and cope with life in their country, and one of the life testimonies they heard came from a Namibian YCW woman activist: