The employees, who manufacture cartridges, had gone on strike last week over pay and were fired, with protests growing against the decision.
Lexmark’s plant in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
El Paso Herald Post and Frontera Desk reported on the developments in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, where Lexmark has a toner cartridge manufacturing plant. Around 700 workers “walked off the job” on 8 December to demand “the right to unionise” as well as increased pay, with the dispute beginning in November over a raise of six pesos (34 US cents/31 euro cents) a day. After walking off site, the workers were all fired by the OEM in response, with protests now taking place.
Currently, Lexmark pays the staff in Mexico 70.10 pesos ($4.04/€3.69) a day, with workers asking for around 114 to 120 pesos ($6.58/€6 to $6.92/€6.32), which “is the norm for employees with five or more years with the company”, and when the pay rise was denied, employees “decided to file for formation of a union”, which they say “triggered the firings”.
The 700 workers who “held a work stoppage” have now camped outside the plant “until their demands are met” by the OEM, with mobile phone videos of protests being held inside the plant also being shared on social media by staff. On top of being fired, the staff have claimed that their annual bonus, which is “mandated by the Mexican government […] is also being withheld” by Lexmark.
The OEM responded that it takes “very seriously the values of mutual respect and employee satisfaction […] we embrace individual differences and listen to all voices. We are committed to engage in open and honest conversations with our employees to ensure Lexmark remains a rewarding place to work”.
Other protests and support groups have mobilised on the side of the staff, with US social media groups being set up to “not only bring light to the situation, but help the fired employees get through the holiday season”. One Facebook group, Obrer@Power, is trying to inform “the world of the situation” and help families financially, with a food drive it organised providing enough for “120 of the fired workers”.
Mexican labourers are known as’ maquila’ workers, with many other such workers in the country taking similar action against employers over sexual harassment, poor working conditions, the right to form unions and protection against dangerous chemicals, alongside higher pay. Other global companies including Foxconn have seen protests, while The Recycler reported on the closure of the US remanufacturer’s factory in Nogales, Mexico two years ago, after the company’s aims to merge with another business fell apart.
Staff at the factory arrived for work in February 2013 only to find locks had been changed, and protested against the closure, camping outside to prevent Legacy from selling anything before staff were awarded severance pay. In March 2015, the staff occupied offices and plants in continued protest, and began selling off machinery to raise funds.