Slave Labor in Nicaragua

Submitted by fyl on 26 January, 2008 - 07:05.

This is a story about my friend Aracely but I expect there are lots of other young women in Nicaragua who find themselves in the same position. (You can find photos are other information about Aracely here on this site.)

She is from a poor rural family. She moved to the city at about age 16 (I expect it was the family's idea--she is the only one in the family with "a job") to be a domestic for someone they know. That happens to be my neighbor (and Ana's best friend) Maru. Seven years later, she is still in this same job.

Her job is to clean the house, take care of five kids, more or less, and cook meals. It is more than a full-time job. She gets paid C$300/mo. Yes, that's about $16/month which is less than 1/3 the minimum wage here and she has not been given vacation time or paid aguinaldo.

I tried to "save" her a few years ago. That is, I offered her a half-time job (paying over C$1000/mo) and her own room to stay in. The attempt was a flop because Maru lives across the street and she kept (I expect was coerced to keep) her other job and as Maru yells louder than I do, that job got priority.

The good news is that she is now working as a bartender so she has a bit more income. But, the bad news is that is a 4PM to whenever job which means she can still do her C$10/day day job.

I have tried (as have others) to get her to go to the Ministry of Trabajo with her "case". I figure she is owed about C$100,000 is back wages and such but she doesn't feel she can. If she got tossed out of Maru's house she ends up homeless with not enough income yet to really live anywhere else. But, the bigger picture is that she doesn't have the skills. She has been a slave all her working life.

This makes me think about the situation black slaves were in after the 14th Amendment was passed: "You're free, do your own thing". But, the only thing they knew was how to be a slave. Clearly, a transition was needed.

What are Aracely's options/options for others in her same position?

  1. Get pregnant (That is what Maru's younger sister did to "escape". Not a great thing to do when you are 15.)
  2. Get married (Aracely was close but discovered her boyfriend was a gangster.)
  3. Find a new "employer" that recognizes the problem.

This last option is the only one that makes sense. I expect there are lots young women in her situation and probably lots of potential employers that could help. But, they need to recognize what is needed. Here is my guess.

  • A fair domestic work situation. That is, with real wages, vacations and such.
  • Live-in so she has a place to stay from the start.
  • A bit of "treat her like a daughter" to help her to develop skills to actually function on her own.

In her case, the work could be part-time (like I tried). If it was away from where Maru lives, it seems there is potential for success. That is, she would actually move and not get suckered back. (If anyone in Estelí is reading this and sees some potential, she works at El Estanko del Toro near the south entrance to Estelí.)

On a more generic level, is there/could there be some organization that helps people in her situation. The back wages issue is fairly easy but really can't be dealt with until the person has "a new life" set up.

‹ The End of cooperative Nueva Vida? Hunger Project For Wawa Boom community ›
( categories: )

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Nicaragua beauty queen: sex work or no work

Submitted by wmac on 2 February, 2008 - 20:40.

I read Phil's shocking article a few days ago. Today Iranian newspaper was quoting a similar story of the Nicaraguan beauty queen. I did a search and came to this article on guardian (a video is also attached).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2248808,00.html

"What Natasha does on the bed in the dingy room with flaking orange paint so shames her she cannot bring herself to use the word. She calls it 'so and so' and sells it here from midday to midnight, six days a week.

On a very good day she makes £45. With each 30-minute session earning £2.50 that works out at 18 different men, many drunk, some violent. She tries to forget the very good days."

For an impoverished beauty queen, a stark choice: sex work or no

Submitted by dixietraveller on 1 February, 2008 - 00:09.

"For an impoverished beauty queen, a stark choice: sex work or no work"

There are many different types of "slave" labor.

The [UK] Guardian Unlimited has a story about the plight of "sex workers" in Nicaragua and the recent Sandinista government crackdown on prostitution. A very relevant article apropos the story and postings on this thread.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2248808,00.html?gusrc=r...

O quantum est in rebus inane! / A palabras necias, oídos sordos.

I know the answer! The answer lies within the heart of all mankind! The answer is twelve? I think I'm in the wrong building. - Charles M. Schulz

power

Submitted by Che Guevara on 29 January, 2008 - 13:35.

to the people! http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080129000930.nnjcn3bm&show_artic...

rise up and claim liberty! hire a lawyer!

"hire a lawyer" ?

Submitted by Doug on 1 February, 2008 - 11:58.

cool, "A former top Hollywood studio lawyer" as the guy was a lawyer they could have had some hot lawyer on lawyer cage fighting

(where is Tom Proctor when you need him)

http://www.getselfprotection.com/proctor.htm

It's so fun to watch them feed on each other, and educational for the kiddies,

just don't get your hands near their mouths.

-Doug

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate

Power to the People?

Submitted by dixietraveller on 30 January, 2008 - 06:21.

Things like that (in the breitbart link) only occur in the "evil" USA. Besides Aracely isn't really being exploited, since her employers are probably true blue, loyal FSLN supporters, and and everyone knows that Sandinistas and communistas would never exploit the poor downtrodden proletariat! She's just performing volunteer Subbotnik-type labor for the good of the party and country!

O quantum est in rebus inane! / A palabras necias, oídos sordos.

I know the answer! The answer lies within the heart of all mankind! The answer is twelve? I think I'm in the wrong building. - Charles M. Schulz

It would be so simple if

Submitted by willdufauve on 26 January, 2008 - 18:38.

It would be so simple if only every person on this site could send a $20 bill to help one person like Aracely get set up properly.

Live-in

Submitted by haircuttingcowboy on 26 January, 2008 - 16:46.

Live-in workers/caregivers/nannies like Aracely are badly needed in the US. Immigration laws prohibit them to an extreme. Unfortunately, the workers that are available for such positions in the US are not good. My quadriplegic father had to pay for his own caregivers on $1200 per month SSI and meet his household expenses. He paid his last one $600 per month plus room and board. This is very bad pay for such a job. She was a bad worker, but dad was stuck. It ultimately killed him. By contrast, nannies in Canada earn around $1300 per month. After taxes, and Provincial health care, a nanny will net about $900.00. Importantly, single- payer government health care (not insurance) is included. It is not so difficult (for a foreign person) to become a nanny or caregiver in Canada. They have a "nanny program". Filipinas often get these jobs. Filipinas speak english - which is key.

I would have hired a Latina (who does not speak english) but none were available in Floriduh until recently. Most are here with husbands and children. Single individuals are most desirable, obviously. A latina who does not speak english would have been preferrable to a crack head type or grifter.

Help

Submitted by Alra on 26 January, 2008 - 13:20.

Aracely's situation is abnormal.

According to the law, she's not being paid fair wages.

She's owed retroactive pay.

She's also being intimidated by her employer.

If el Ministerio del Trabajo doesn't help, she can get help from the local CPC or she can get a lawyer and take her employer to court.

Al

The boys seem to get a trade

Submitted by willdufauve on 26 January, 2008 - 11:48.

The boys seem to get a trade - shoe maker, wood carver, potter, gardener, mechanic, thief. The girls have to rely more on a little bit of something else.

A typical domestic employee

Submitted by Daddy-YO on 26 January, 2008 - 09:19.

Slave is a harsh, emotional word. She’s a serf, a peon. Aracely’s situation is like thousands of others in Nicaragua, millions in latinamerica. The dominant economic system is feudalism. There is, of course, nascent capitalism, with its individual freedoms, but that tends to be superimposed by foreigners on 500 years of historic immobility.

Like all peoples, the poor crave security, knowing they have a roof and meal for tomorrow, and their patrons deliver just that, little more. Many are born into their bondage, and know little else. And they fear committing economically to gringos who come & go.

This website paints corporations as evil. They are only the next step in a badly needed economic evolution. Look only at the flow of Nicas across the border to work for Ticos in CR where foreign investment is encouraged.

No, not typical but common

Submitted by fyl on 26 January, 2008 - 11:17.

If she was being treated as is required by law here, I would have picked a different word. But when you take little more than a child and put her into a situation where she is paid much less than is legally required, I picked slave. $16/month is much more like a very low allowance which you must use to buy all your clothing and personal items.

A typical domestic here will receive over three times what she receives and most much more than that. Yes, there are lots of women earning C$10/day but they are working part time. Not so in her case.

I also feel your characterization that she would fear committing economically to gringos is not the case. Ok, I more than feel that as I have some pretty good evidence. She actually regrets that she was not the person Peter Christopher "did his thing" on. It was actually three of us that talked her out of that experience.

As for anti-corporation see the post about the movie The Corporation. The movie isn't anti-corporation in a generic sense. It simply points out the problems of what has happened. Specifically:

  1. Corporations were initially created to do a very specific task. Their charters have been significantly expanded.
  2. Corporations went from a legal structure to an entity with the rights of a natural person but not with the ability to "suffer the consequences" like a natural person.
  3. Corporate officers are legally bound to put the rights of the corporation on the top of their priority list.

This second item is the most significant. For example, corporations can make financial decision to make a defective product or pollute over a legal limit knowing that the fines will cost less than being responsible. A natural person could not make the same decision because, unlike a corporation, the consequences could mean jail time.

Governments allow corporations to exist. That is, a corporation is chartered by a government. While some don't like "more government control", in the case of a corporation, it is the government's responsibility to control corporations to make up for it's ability to do anti-social things. For example, if corporations really feared the loss of their corporate charter for legal violations rather than a fine, the decision would no longer be just economic.

This is a very short explanation of the point the movie makes so don't expect this to satisfy your need for "the whole picture". No matter how you feel about "corporate control", the movie is well watching as it will make you think about your position.

in th US our position is

Submitted by willdufauve on 26 January, 2008 - 11:45.

in th US our position is deteriorating rapidly.

There is a lot of truth

Submitted by dirtbag on 26 January, 2008 - 10:30.

In your comments, Aracely's situation along with thousands share a common thread. Lack of Education, therefore lack of opportunity which suits the elite just fine. Does this website really paint corporations as evil? certainly there has been lots of critical submissions on U.S. Corporate motives. Not much comment on other countries contributions. I don't find much wrong with Capitalism myself. Is that the same thing as Corporations being painted evil here?

Aracely´s problem is

Submitted by Billy Bob on 28 January, 2008 - 17:58.

Aracely´s problem is between her ears. She has to have the will to stand up for herself. Fix the problem, not the symptoms.

Send her a 20? I can´t help but think of Kiyosakis Rich Dad´s comment that giving money to poor people helps make more poor people¨¨. Send your 20 to the disabled or shortterm disaster victëms.

My domestic engineer informs me that the law is $ 80 a month, plus the bennies you mentioned, so we are paying our parttime maid $40, plus the bennies, plus breakfast and lunch. But no TV privileges´, meanie that I am.

also, educated people get crap jobs with abusive employers, too. And they stay for years because the money is good. Their problem is also between their ears. Paying more money actually makes abusive employers more abusive. the door is the only solution.

¨pata de perro¨