A maquiladora, or maquila, for short is described as a factory involved primarily in the
apparel industry, and to a lesser degree in footwear and electronics assembly. Currently there are
over two hundred of these maquilas in Honduras, employing hundreds-of-thousands of men,
women and children (mostly women and children). The majority of these maquilas are
considered to be sweatshops for all intensive purposes, so what is a sweatshop? Historically the
word "sweatshop" originated in the 19th century to describe a subcontracting system in which the
middlemen earned profit from the margin between the amount they received for a contract and
the amount they paid to the workers. The margin was said to be "sweated" from the worker
because they received minimal wages for excessive hours worked under unsatisfactory
conditions. (Sweatshop Watch p.1-2) A more up-to-date definition describes a sweatshop as a
workplace where workers are subject to: extreme exploitation – including the absence of a living
wage and benefits – poor working conditions – such as health and safety hazards – and excessive
or arbitrary discipline. To most this would sound atrocious, but where was Honduras before the
garment industry? Is it perhaps better to be homeless, broke and unemployed with no hope for a
better life, rather than employed (or under-employed), with living accommodations and money to
buy food for the family? Is not living on the verge of poverty better than – literally – having
nothing at all. These workers have been taught a skill – and possibly through the global adoption
of these third world countries – they will be rewarded and Honduras will reap the benefits of its
people's hardships. So, does the economic growth and stability of Honduras surmount the
treatment and humanity of its working class? Not to sound ignorant...