A group of at least 50 agricultural workers from the state of Mexico who work temporarily in Canada they went to that country under the protection of a private trade union which gave them labor rights training to ensure job security while they were there.
The Union of Canadian Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) seeks to bring the voice of farm workers and since last August has implemented a pilot program in which a group of temporary workers, who are already in Leamington, Ontario, they received training before their transfer to know their rights at workin addition to monitoring them during their stay so that their employers respect their employment contract and the conditions agreed for their performance.
In interview with MILLENNIUM, Paul Meinema, president of UFCW stressed in an interview that workers also have a say.
“What we are trying to achieve with this pilot program is that we may get to know the workers first who leave Mexico and who know their trade union rights before leaving and from that moment on they know they can go and ask for more formal help. We can help them learn the language, facilitate communication with their families, but the most important thing here is that they know what their rights are before leaving ”.
He explained that UFCW has support centers for day workers, not only Mexicans but also of other nationalities. who have temporary jobs in Canada. In these sites, workers find the support of advice that includes language, training and, above all, knowledge of their labor rights to avoid unjustified dismissals that lead to repatriation.
“In recent years we have had the opportunity to assist Mexican day laborers in various fields, your contributions to your health or retirement plan. Workers have to come to some of our centers to receive information and attention such as for the social services or pensions they are contributing their salary and the rights they have, “said the UFCW president.
“When workers have the support of a trade union behind them, which gives them the advantage of having clarity on the issues that affect the work they do. It is a measure that allows them to enforce their rights in terms of access to health, to be treated fairly by the laws of the country. The conditions of the workers are better when their voice is represented at the table with the industry they work for because their conditions are better, “she said.
He cited the covid pandemic and the series of labor rights violations that suffered many day laborers as an example. who were forced to work even at the risk of falling ill, which is avoidable if they had the representation of a trade union that defends their rights as workers.
He explained that it is being sought that this pilot program which is applied with day laborers of the State of Mexico can be expanded, through an interinstitutional coordination mechanism, in which local governments participate and the regulatory coordination of the Ministry of Labor, through the National Employment Service, responsible for selecting the workers who are sent to Canada.
According to chapter 23 of the T-MEC, workers must have access to knowledge of their labor rights, through training, consultancy, scientific studies and institutional collaboration.
The Mexico-Canada Temporary Agricultural Workers Program (PTAT) was born in 1974 and has since benefited more than 28,000 Mexican workers from various states in the Republic, while UFCW Canada has provided protection and support to precarious agricultural workers, through support centers.
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