Maquila Barbie.

• Position: Rubie's Costume Company - Brief Article

Tepeji del Rio, Hidalgo, Mexico

Rubie's Costume Company is one of the two largest in the world. Mattel licenses Rubie's to produce outfits under the Barbie label.

In 2004, workers at Rubie's plant in Tepeji del Rio, Hidalgo, Mexico, complained about labor practices, alleging unsanitary and unsafe working conditions, unpaid overtime, and the use of underage workers.

Mattel conducted an audit of the plant and found several violations of its own code of conduct, including the use of child labor.

Marc Beige, Rubie's president, disputes the contentions. He told Newsday in June that the workers' complaints at the Tepeji del Rio plant stem from a dispute between...