MEXICO: Child labourers fight back

In Hidalgo, Mexico, a group of young, mostly female workers as young as 13 years of age have been illegally locked out for protesting their unsafe, unjust working conditions (including child labour violations, forced pregnancy testing and appalling sanitary conditions) and the refusal of the company — Rubie's Costume Company — to acknowledge their collective bargaining agreement. Rubie's exports Warner Brothers costumes to North America and western Europe and the workers have been producing Harry Potter, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings Halloween costumes. The workers are demanding that Time Warner forces Rubie's to meet their demands, which include guaranteeing union rights, establishing a support fund to allow underage workers to complete their education, and repaying wages lost during the lockout. For more information visit <http://www.labourstart.org>.

From Green Left Weekly, October 26, 2005.

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From GLW issue 646