Study guide and discussion questions for “Job on the Line “ by WILLIAM M. ADLER. Be prepared to discuss the discussion questions next week (or on the discussion board for this week for the online class).

Here are some discussion questions:

What is the relationship between Molly James and Balbina Duque Granados?

How are their life stories similar?

Do you see similarities between the actions of MagneTek, Archie Sergy, and the mill owners of Patterson around 1913?

What motivated Balbina to work in a maquila?

What is the role of the state (e.g., NAFTA) and the living conditions of the workers in the maquiladora?

Do you think low prices and high profits justify the damage to the environment and the exploitation of workers?

How can the high rates of anencephaly and spina bifida in Brownsville and Matamoros be explained?

Study guide questions:

What is “Job on the Line” about?

What kinds of people do MegnaTek prefer to hire?

What are maquiladors?

Probably the strongest conclusion to be drawn from Adler’s “Job on the Line” is what?