Maquila Solidarity Network

The Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN ) is a labor and women's rights organization in Canada to protect workers in the maquiladora factories in Mexico and Central America. As an NGO it seeks afterwards to sensitize the retail in Europe and North America for the conditions under which the goods they sell are made.

Since 1995, MSN works primarily for fair working conditions in the garment industry and also makes at department stores in this regard moves, in Europe, for example at Karstadt. In Honduras, it has managed, among others in 2003, the sports clothing company Gildan to move to compliance with the prescribed se occupational safety and regulations for pregnant women. Various local maquiladora employees are supported in the formation of farm groups or local unions if they repression of the enterprise are exposed.

A study published in December 2005 study of the labor standards in the clothing industry shows that the impact of the campaigns in the medium term even in large companies operating in Latin America textile corporations: so three companies have now at 70 out of 100 points improved ( Levi Strauss & Co., GAP Inc. , and Nike Inc. ), others are only slightly lower ( H & M, Liz Claiborne ). The previously less -cooperative companies such as Benetton, Blaumax Lee Corporation, Polo Ralph Lauren, Replay, Versace or Wrangler advised by the publications under gentle pressure to improve the working conditions also.

The headquarters of the Maquila Solidarity Network with the Secretariat of the Ethical Trading Action Group ( ETAG ) in Canada, a collaboration of various NGO groups ( "coalition of faith, labor and non- governmental organizations Advocating for government policies, voluntary codes of conduct and purchasing policies did promote humane labor practices based on accepted international labor standards ").