Promoting rights for workers

Pedro Reyes of CEREAL in Mexico gives advice to electronics workers. [CAFOD]

Pedro Reyes' own experience working for an electronics factory prompted him to become an active labour rights promoter for CAFOD's partner organisation in Mexico, CEREAL

When Pedro was a student, he worked with a charity that helped migrant workers on the border with Mexico and the United States of America.

"I realised that the Mexico I had know for 18 years wasn’t real" he says. "I felt my world was a false one and I had to look for something to do to make these people part of my life."

Pedro left university to become a Jesuit, and started work in an electronics factory on the US-Mexico border.

"I was earning 250 pesos in two weeks, working for nine hours every day with 30 minutes for lunch," he recalls.

"I had to ask for permission to get a bathroom break. You couldn’t talk and they counted every mistake you made and that lessened your productivity. It was very difficult to make the quotas. In the time that I worked there, I didn’t see anyone making the quotas. Every 15 days, they brought in new people on 28 day contracts. I lasted for three months."

It was an experience that was to stand Pedro in good stead when he joined CAFOD’s partner organisation, CEREAL in Guadalajara, Mexico. Pedro worked as a labour rights promoter for workers in the electronics industry in Guadalajara for two years and now works for CEREAL in Mexico City.

How does CEREAL help electronics workers in Mexico?

A Mexican electronics sector worker, sacked for speaking publicly about poor working conditions [Marcella Haddad]

CEREAL offers support and legal advice to workers in Mexico who have been exploited and provides training to raise awareness about labour rights and human rights.

"We work for a world where all voices are heard, where human rights are respected in the workplace," says Pedro.

"We believe it’s possible to create a better electronics industry."

How can CAFOD’s campaign help workers in Mexico?

"Organisations like CAFOD really make a difference,"” says Pedro.

"It’s really important that international charities take labour on as an issue. It’s not just a problem in Mexico. It’s international. It’s very important to get involved with international organisations like the United Nations (UN) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) and it’s difficult to do that at a national level. You need international solidarity."

"I’m hoping that it will make a big difference to the electronics factories in Guadalajara."

"The importance of the campaign is to raise awareness about supply chains," he says.

"It’s also really important for companies to insert guarantees that they are really helping the development of a region."

"Creating jobs isn’t enough. They have to make a commitment. If a maquila (factory) could integrate into the economics of a region, it could really provide a good source of jobs and improve labour rights."

Does Pedro have any messages for CAFOD campaigners?

"The workers in Guadalajara told me to say that they are very pleased that people in England are joining their struggle," he says.

"We want work that can be worthy for men and women -- and worthy of God."

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