Hunger On The Border

David: In Spanish, the name of the border committee uses the word "obreras," which means women workers. Why is the name of the committee in the feminine? Julia: The Comité Fronterizo de Obreras (CFO) is an organization of rank and file women, led by women and men who work in the maquiladoras. The organization was born out of the needs particularly of the young women who work in the factories. In the beginning the industry was especially interested in employing women, and even though this situation has changed over time, we continue to maintain a focus on their experience. We look for a greater level of participation by women, inside their unions and at levels of leadership. David: What does the Comité do? Julia: The CFO is working in three Mexican states - Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Chihuahua. Our purpose is to educate and organize workers around their labor rights. We try to engage workers in learning and talking about the impact of free trade, and focus on violence against women. We have a program to build economic self-sufficiency, and we've created our own maquiladora, making products and giving employment for women. http://www.banderasnews.com/0601/edat-borderhunger.htm

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