FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2014
Press contact(s):
Sarah Karpovich, Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM)
410-783-0236; skarp@cdmigrante.org
Nan Schivone, Global Workers Justice Alliance
646-351-1160; nan@globalworkers.org
2nd Edition of Money Manual Helps Mexico-Based Workers
Receive Due Compensation
BALTIMORE, MD— Today, American University Washington College of Law, Centro de los Derechos del Migrante (CDM), and Global Workers Justice Alliance release the second edition of Money Transfers to Mexico, a manual designed to help migrant worker advocates navigate the transfer of funds to their clients in Mexico.
When workers from Mexico win settlement funds in U.S. lawsuits challenging wage theft, discrimination, or human trafficking, advocates face the difficulty of ensuring that their clients receive the money once they have returned to Mexico. Differences in banking in the U.S. and Mexico, increased global security concerns, and professional ethics considerations create significant hurdles in getting workers the funds they are owed
The transfer methods included in Money Transfers to Mexico have facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in funds awarded to workers by courts, administrative agencies and pursuant to settlement agreements. One woman, whose husband was killed on the job in 2010, filed suit, and through an innovative funds transfer mechanism, she received the much-needed compensation she was owed. The funds have allowed her to pay for her son’s education. In a major class action settlement, over 450 former guestworkers who had returned to Mexico received individual settlement payments through this funds transfer mechanism.
The new edition of the money manual, released electronically and available at the links below, provides updated information, including concrete tips and examples, to help advocates to send settlement funds to their clients in Mexico and facilitate justice across borders.
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Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM) envisions a world where migrant workers’ rights are respected and laws and policies reflect their voices. CDM empowers Mexico-based migrant workers to defend and protect their rights as they move between their home communities in Mexico and their workplaces in the United States through education, outreach, and leadership development; intake, evaluation, and referral services; litigation support and direct representation; and policy advocacy. Read more about CDM at www.cdmigrante.org.
Global Workers Justice Alliance (Global Workers) combats worker exploitation by promoting portable justice for transnational migrants through a cross-border network of advocates and resources. Global Workers’ core work involves training and supporting a Defender Network comprised of human rights advocates in the migrant-sending countries to educates workers on their rights before they migrate, partner with advocates in the countries of employment on specific cases of labor exploitation, and engage in national and international policy work for systemic changes to improve conditions for migrants. Global Workers currently operates programs in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Global Workers often provides referrals for case support work outside of these areas. Learn more about Global Workers at www.globalworkers.org
Access the 2nd Edition of the Money Manual at the following links: