Protests Erupt Along Mexican Border After Honeywell, Lear Worker Deaths
A spate of suspected coronavirus deaths among workers for U.S. companies operating along the border in Mexico has triggered multiple protests in recent days, highlighting friction over which factories should remain open…
A spate of suspected coronavirus deaths among workers for U.S. companies operating along the border in Mexico has triggered multiple protests in recent days, highlighting friction over which factories should remain open in the pandemic.
At least four workers at American companies’ factories in Mexican border towns died this week, companies and workers said on Thursday, adding to several factory worker fatalities apparently linked to cases of the new coronavirus since the start of April.
Workers at Honeywell International Inc, Lear Corporation, Regal Beloit and Poly have all died in recent weeks, according to the companies.
Protests calling for safe conditions or shutdowns with full pay outside factories have taken place in border cities Mexicali, Matamoros, Reynosa and Tijuana after the Mexican government on March 30 ordered non-essential industries to suspend operations.
On Thursday, dozens of protesters demanded a Honeywell assembly plant in Ciudad Juarez be closed to prevent the spread of the virus after a colleague died.
“We want them to respect the quarantine,” said Mario Cesar Gonzalez outside the Honeywell factory, which he said makes smoke alarms. “The manager said that we are essential workers. I don’t think an alarm is essential.”
Honeywell told Reuters its Ademco factory makes heating and ventilation controls for critical infrastructures such as hospitals and laboratories and said the worker died after being sent to self-quarantine on April 2.
Also in Juarez, electric motor company Regal Beloit confirmed two workers died this week after being sent home in early April in compliance with measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
Car seat maker Lear confirmed “several” of its workers had died at a public hospital in the same city this month of respiratory illnesses.
In Tijuana, workers protested after the deaths of two colleagues employed by technology company Poly this week. The company, also known as Plantronics, told Reuters the workers died of unknown causes.