Jewish Maquiladora Owners Scam Tijuana Workers
Ernesto Cienfuegos
The Sagal-Modelvsky family has made a mockery of Mexican Labor Law and has absconded with the hard earned money of hundreds of Mexican women who toiled in the most despicable working conditions imaginable. The maquiladora Industria Fronteriza is one of the oldest in Tijuana and has earned the reputation of being a "hell hole" where workers are routinely abused and forced to work in a dangerous and unhealthy environment. Workers repeatedly complained about the dilapidated and smelly bathroom facilities and the spoiled food that was served in the factory cafeteria.
According to workers, who will be crossing the border to march and protest in front of the Sagal-Modelvsky family home in Chula Vista, they are owed their entire salaries for May of 2002 as well as severance pay amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. They said that the US/Mexico border does not protect the Sagal-Modelvsky family and that they must meet their obligations to pay the workers their rightful salaries. The protest in front of the Sagal-Modelvsky family home will take place on Saturday October 4, 2003. The Tijuana workers and Mexican-American supporters plan to meet at 12 noon in front of the Ramada Inn in Chula Vista at 91 Bonita Road and then march to the home of the Jewish maquiladora owners.
This type of cross border worker action is relative new. The US/Mexico border is now becoming increasingly diffused. With the increasing number of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans along a very broad strip of geography on both sides of the border, the area is taking on very unique and very Mexican characteristics. These changes are making it very difficult for Jewish scamers such the Sagal-Modelvsky family to escape justice.