The New York Times has a great article today about the desperate conditions faced by Mexicans working for American companies in maquiladoras. The article focuses on workers at an Alcoa plant across the border from Del Rio, Texas, who make about 80 bucks a week. The American companies have sweetheart deals that allow them to pay no taxes, and local labor officials are paid off so that the workers are unable to form unions. Sounds great, doesn’t it?