By Emily Leedham “We are invisible, and no one – not the government or society – wants to see or hear us.” said Liliana Trejo, an undocumented worker based in Montreal, at an online press conference today. “If this virus does not kill us, hunger will.” The press conference was organized on Thursday, April 16, Continue readingUndocumented workers demand healthcare, CERB & status
migrant workers
Karen Cocq from the Migrant Rights Networks discusses the #UniteAgainstRacism campaign, why it matters and how you can get involved. “We are struggling to make ends meet, while the rich keep getting richer. Instead of fixing this, politicians are using anti-immigrant racism to distract us. Sign this pledge to tell politicians that you will not Continue readingIt’s time to #UniteAgainstRacism
by Haseena Manek Thirteen labour council presidents from across Canada have signed onto an open letter calling for the theme of Labour Day 2019 to be #UniteAgainstRacism. The letter was released by the Migrant Rights Network (MRN) as part of their ongoing anti-racism campaign. It calls for the labour movement to endorse the campaign by Continue readingLabour council presidents across Canada #UniteAgainstRacism
This week, Alberta premier Jason Kenney introduced Bill 2, an Act to Make Alberta Open for Business. This bill overall reduces labour costs for employers by reducing holiday and overtime pay, and introducing a youth minimum wage at 13$ which is lower than the $15 minimum wage introduced by the NDP. The bill also removes Continue readingFighting for $15 on the Prairies
Workers in the oil and gas industry have been used as a talking point by the Alberta NDP and United Conservative Party, both parties say they are the best choice for workers to get the Trans Mountain pipeline built and create more jobs in the industry. Albertans go to the polls on Tuesday, April 16. Continue readingWhat is it actually like to work in Alberta’s oil patch?
Broadcast date: April 7, 2019. Hosted by Emily Leedham. Today on the show, Marco Luciano, director of Migrante Alberta. Migrante is fundraising for a workers centre, where migrants can connect to resources, each other,and organize. We’ll talk about Migrante’s new Fort MacMurray chapter, the U.N migration compact and Jason Kenney’s changes to the temporary foreign Continue readingMigrante Alberta is fundraising for a workers’ centre
By Haseena Manek “Nobody cares about you”: Ongoing case of migrant farmworker Ralston Maise shows how system treats migrant workers as disposable. During Injured Workers Week in Ontario, reports ran detailing the complete failure of the Workers’ Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to address the needs to injured workers. RankandFile.ca spoke to Ralston Maise about Continue readingInjured migrant workers: no healthcare and a ticket home
By Zaid Noorsumar Thirty-five organizations across Canada coalesced to form the Migrant Rights Network on December 18, the International Migrants Day. The alliance aims to fight for the rights of migrants and combat the rising tide of racism in the country. Unifor, Migrant Resource Centre Canada and No One is Illegal are among the members Continue readingMigrant Rights Network aims to unite migrants and workers
By Haseena Manek The Human Rights Council of Ontario has ruled that the applications made by two of 54 current and former participants of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program regarding racial profiling in Elgin County were in ‘good faith’. The legal representatives for the respondent in the case, the Ontario Provincial Police, called for the Continue readingMigrant workers score victory against racial profiling and coercion of DNA by police
by Edward Dunsworth The Thanksgiving season is often seized upon by farmworkers and activists to highlight agricultural workers’ contributions to society and the precarious conditions that so often characterize their work and life. In both Canada and the United States, farm labour activists have riffed on a popular motif which recognizes farmers, modifying it to Continue readingPredicting the future of migrant labour programs…in the 60s and 70s
Director Min Sook Lee’s award-winning documentary follows the story of migrant workers who come to labour in Ontario greenhouses as part of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Many are women recruited by brokers who illegally charge fees upwards of $7,000, with greenhouse owners complicit in the scam. The film examines the lives of a group Continue readingWeekend Video: Migrant Dreams
By Daniel Tseghay On January 20th, migrant agricultural workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) working at Floralia Plant Growers Ltd. in Abbotsford, BC achieved an important victory. The B.C. Labour Relations Board ruled that Floralia broke labour laws by impeding the ability of migrant workers who are known to be union supporters to Continue readingMigrant farm workers achieve an important victory at Floralia