Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, on the American continent, the NAFTA agreement between Canada, Mexico and the U.S.A. has been responsible largely for the liberalization of economies, privatization and deregulation, which have all impacted the workforce, particularly women. The author points out that globalization has brought about an unequal structure of the global economy in which corporations are creating labor segregation, paying the most minimum wages possible and providing the least amount of labor regulations, all of which cause social and economic marginalization of women. The paper relates that various trade agreements push countries to privatize public resources causing a shift away from welfare and social programs such as social insurance, health care, child-care and childcare subsidy. The author stresses that the new jobs created for the sole profit of the employers are usually lower-paid, part-time or contract flexible work having no benefits.

From the Paper:

"One example of such harassment and discrimination is cited by Quintero-Ramirez, (2002). She describes how managers are often able to request a medical examination to show that a job applicant is not pregnant. Because of deregulation, the working conditions in these factories are often unsanitary and even dangerous, and inadequate or non-existing healthcare often exasperated the health impacts suffered by these women workers. These women work for minimum wages while foreign countries reap most of the benefits. The maquiladora sector is of particular importance because it has grown 89% in the period between 1995 and 2000 . The managers of these manufacturing plants often prefer to hire women because of the patriarchal beliefs that women are more docile and better suited for boring repetitive jobs. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Nelson, A. (2002) Gender in Canada (3rd. ed.). Toronto: Prentice Hall
• Standing, G. (1999). Global feminization Through Flexible labor: A Theme Revisited. World Development. 27 (3), 583-602
• Caragata, L. (2003). Neo-conservative Realities: The Social and Economic Marginalization of Canadian Women. International Sociology. 18(3), 559-580
• Parrado, E.A. & Zenteno, R.M. (2001) Economic Restructuring, Financial crisis and Women's Work in Mexico. Social Problems. 48 (4), 456-477
• Moffatt, A. (2005, Spring). Murder, Mystery and Mistreatment in Mexican Maquiladoras. Women and Environments. 66/67, 19-21

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