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From Voices Project One

TABLE A

WOMEN IN MAQUILADORA WORK

WAGES IN RELATION TO COST OF LIVING  AS OF 1999

FOOD

HOURS OF WORK REQUIRED TO PURCHASE

Beans, 1 kg   4 Hrs  
Rice, 1 kg   1 hr, 26 min.
Corn Tortillas, 1 kg   40 min.
Chile peppers, 1/8 kg   1 hr, 15 min.

Tomatoes, 1 kg  

1 hr, 35 min,

Beef, 1 kg  

8 hrs  
Chicken 3 hrs  
Eggs, 1 doz.   2 hrs, 24 min.
Vegetable Oil, 1 liter  2 hrs, 24 min.

Limes, 1 kg  

1 hr, 20 min.

Milk, 1 gal  

4 hrs, 17 min.

Toilet paper, 1 roll  

43 min.
Detergent, 1 kg   2 hrs  

Diapers, box of 30  

11 hrs, 30 min

Shampoo, 10 oz  

2 hrs, 25 min.

Elem. School uniform 57-86 hrs  

Roundtrip bus fare

1-3 hrs  

Cooking gas, 1 tank

20 hrs
Aspirin, bottle of 20   2 hrs, 25 min.

 

Note: Figures based on avg. prices in Tijuana, B.Calif., for an assembly line worker earning 26 Mex. Pesos a day ($3.57).  1kg. Is = to U.S. 2.2lbs. More current information see links for CFO.