2015-10-23
Coalition for Migrant Workers Rights - Canada (CMWRC)
Newly launched Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights – Canada calls for end to discrimination against migrant workers.
Canada – Migrant worker groups from across Canada are launching a historic coalition to call on Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government to end the discriminatory practice of tying migrant workers to specific employers and transition towards permanent immigration status upon arrival for migrant workers. The Coalition for Migrant Workers Rights – Canada (CMWRC), is a coalition of organizations representing Canadian born and migrant worker groups from coast to coast to coast, aimed at improving work conditions for all workers. CMWRC is launching MoVE – a campaign for Mobility, Voice and Equality for Migrant Workers to call on Prime Minister Trudeau to keep his campaign promises to undo the harm done by the Harper government and to move towards a single-tier immigration system based on permanency and family reunification to ensure decent work for all.
Low-waged Temporary Foreign Workers, Caregivers and Seasonal Agricultural Workers come to Canada on work permits that restrict them to working for the specific employer listed on their permit. Changing employers is extremely difficult which allows bad bosses to lower salaries and work conditions. This creates pressure to reduce salaries and erode work conditions for all workers. A first step to ending this downward cycle is to untie the permits so workers have the ‘mobility’ to leave employers who exploit them. Next steps must move to reorient the system to secure, permanent immigration that protects ‘voice’ and ‘equality’ for workers.
WHAT: Launch of MoVE Campaign by Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights – Canada
WHERE and WHEN:
Charlottetown – 200 Richmond Street, 11am, Oct 28, 2015.
Edmonton – 14931 107 Avenue, 3:30pm, Oct 28, 2015.
Montreal – I.W.C, 4755 Van Horne, 10am, Oct 28, 2015.
Toronto – Suite 223, 720 Spadina, 11am, Oct 28, 2015.
Vancouver – 550 W 6th Avenue #100, 9am, Oct 28, 2015.
MoVE Demands
Regulatory changes to make it easier for migrant workers to move between jobs thereby improving working and living conditions for Canadian born and migrant workers. Specifically:
Transition from tied work permits to open work permits
Remove limits on work permits and restrictions on Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) including a 4-year time limit on workers ability to stay.
Permanent resident immigration status upon arrival for migrant workers.
WHO: Founding members of CMWRC:
Cooper Institute (PEI)
Migrant Workers Alliance for Change*
Migrante Canada
Radical Action with Migrants in Agriculture (Okanagan Valley)
Temporary Foreign Workers Association in Quebec
Temporary Foreign Workers Coalition in Alberta
Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregiver Rights (Vancouver)
*Migrant Workers Alliance for Change includes Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (Toronto), Asian Community Aids Services (Ontario), Caregivers Action Centre (Ontario), Fuerza Puwersa (Guelph), Industrial Accident Victims’ Group of Ontario, Justicia for Migrant Workers (Ontario), Legal Assistance of Windsor, Migrante Ontario, No One Is Illegal – Toronto, Parkdale Community Legal Services, Social Planning Toronto, UNIFOR (Canada), South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, United Food and Commercial Workers (Canada), Workers United and the Workers’ Action Centre (Toronto).
###
Media Contacts:
Toronto – Syed Hussan, Coordinator, Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, 416 453 3632
Charlottetown – Josie Baker, Cooper Institute, 902-894-4573
Edmonton –Dhon Mojica, Migrante Canada, 780-716-3809
Montreal – ATTET Quebec
Vancouver – Julie Diesta for Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers Rights (CDWCR), 778-881-8345, Natalie Drolet for West Coast Domestic Workers Association (WCDWA), 604-445-0661, Jane Ordinario for Migrante BC, 604-961-7794
General relevance - all sectors
Journalists
Federal and National relevance
English