Feminist Activism, Union Democracy and Gender Equity Rights in Mexico

Abstract

Beyond competitive elections, democratisation should include a transformation of the institutions of state and civil society into spaces that recognise the rights of citizens and allow for their participation. This study explores the question of how Mexican labour unions are transformed into institutions with a commitment to the rights and participation of women workers. Drawing on evidence from five unions, the paper shows that compared to their corporatist counterparts, unions with a ‘democratic ethos’ provide a context within which gender equity rights are more readily recognised. However, recognition of gender equity is primarily dependent on feminist activism and union leadership. The paper argues that women's efforts to transform their unions into spaces that reflect and advocate for gender equity rights are critical to strengthening democratic citizenship in Mexico.

Bringing Home la Leche: Expanding Teachers’ Maternal Roles in Rural Oaxaca

“…In three households, minor children lived with their fathers in the family home, but most lived with their maternal grandparents. The latter arrangement coincides with a widely reported pattern among Mexican maestras (Bergstrom and Heymann 2005;Brickner 2010;Cortina 2006;Loyo Brambila y de Jesus Rodriguez 2007), in which maternal grandmothers were caregivers.…”

“…These include the entrenched patriarchal structure of local union politics and an inherent conflict for mothers. Although the majority of Mexican teachers are women, demands of household labor and a desire to be with their own children limits mothers' ability to take a more active role in union leadership (see also Brickner 2010;Cook 1996Cortina 2006Infante Vargas et al 2015;Loyo Brambila and Rodriguez 2007;Silva 2016;Vásquez García et al 2012). 12 This in turn results in a pattern where instituting policies that would allow greater work-life balance are not at the forefront of a union agenda that prioritizes increased salary and benefits, and improved working conditions, over quality of home life.…”

“…These include the entrenched patriarchal structure of local union politics and an inherent conflict for mothers. Although the majority of Mexican teachers are women, demands of household labor and a desire to be with their own children limits mothers’ ability to take a more active role in union leadership (see also Brickner 2010; Cook 1996 Cortina 2006; Infante Vargas et al. 2015; Loyo Brambila and Rodriguez 2007; Silva 2016; Vásquez García et al.…”

“…In this context, male teachers are often expected to be disciplinarians in parallel to fathers' perceived role of head of household. Maestras' labor is viewed as a public extension of mothers idealized responsibilities for nurturing and socializing children (Blasco 2004;Brickner 2010;López 2013;Soto 1990). And yet, as in the trope of the more general "paradox of being a woman teacher" that Maria Tamboukou (2000) discussed, wives and mothers are criticized for "neglecting" household duties such as cooking and cleaning while teaching, or for bringing schoolwork home with them (see also Kang et al 2019).…”

Imperiled Femininity: The Dismembering of Citizenship in Northern Mexico

“…Women's daily lives have been affected by their expanded educational and employment opportunities, as well as by their increased responsibility for supporting the household. As with other accounts of life in neoliberal Mexico, as men find their opportunities limited in the new economy, many women in Chihuahua find themselves the primary or sole breadwinners in households without men or with marginally employed men (French 2000;Olivera 2006;Brickner 2010). In 2006, Chihuahua became the state with the highest divorce rate in the nation (INEGI, 2006a).…”