Detalles del documento

2009

Agriculture Workers Alliance

AWA E-News

Agriculture Workers Alliance

Agricultural Workers Alliance Training Session – Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA) activists from across Canada met in Mississauga, Ont., from May 3 to 9 to take part in a training session specifically designed for AWA support centre coordinators. This year’s annual session included a mix of veteran coordinators and a few fresh faces. New coordinators include Sandra Martinez and Raul Gatica who are leading AWA centres in Kelowna and Surrey, B.C., respectively. Ingrid Zea, a long-time volunteer at the centre in Simcoe, Ont., also joined the AWA leadership team as the centre coordinator in Virgil, Ont.
The annual training session provided AWA coordinators with the opportunity to enhance and refine skills that will allow them to provide better service to agriculture workers, both domestic and foreign. Topics covered during the training session included employment benefits applications (maternity, parental, compassionate care, sick leave, etc.), workers’ compensation applications, Canada Pension Plan applications, income tax regulations, grievance procedures, servicing, AWA membership, and health-and-safety education for workers.

During the training the coordinators also had the opportunity to be instructed by Mr. Stewart Gray from Service Canada, and by the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) team. Developing partnerships with the government agencies allows centre coordinators to streamline benefit applications and better resolve health-and-safety issues.

At the end of the training coordinators commented on how important this gathering is. They felt more equipped to help agriculture workers with the different challenges they face on a daily basis. Coordinators also said the training taught them how to better discuss the plight of farm workers with everyday Canadians, who, in turn, can lobby their elected representatives.

From Left to Right: Victor Carrozzino, National Office; Pablo Godoy, National Office; Raul Gatica, Surrey, BC; Alexes Barillas, National Office; Mary Vidal, Leamington, Ont.; Gustavo Mejicanos, Portage la Prairie, MB; Andrea Galvez, Saint-Rémi, Que.; Kevin Shimmin, National Office; Fanny Belcoski, Simcoe, Ont.; Wayne Hanley, National President; Sandra Martinez, Kelowna, BC; Ingrid Zea, Virgil, Ont.; Peter Barillas, Bradford, Ont.; Stan Raper, National Office

Swine Flue – Twenty-eight new cases of swine flu were confirmed across Canada on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, bringing the national total of confirmed cases to 358, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The new cases mean the virus is present in nine provinces and one territory. One death has been reported, taking place in Alberta. To date, neither the media nor the AWA centres have reported any cases of migrant farm workers contracting the swine flu. AWA centre staff will continue to monitor the situation.

The Minister of Migration for the State of Michoacán, Mrs. Alma Griselda Valencia Medina, will be participating in a Canadian tour this week hosted by the AWA.
On Tuesday, February 24, 2009, UFCW Canada National President Wayne Hanley and Michoacán Governor Leonel Godoy Rangel signed a landmark co-operation agreement to ensure that the human and labour rights of agricultural workers from Michoacán, Mexico are recognized and enforced while they work in Canadian fields and greenhouses.

The agreement – involving a state institution partnering with a civil society organization to extend services and assistance to its citizens working outside of Mexico – is the first of its kind in North America. It is a unique pact that follows much work and consultation between UFCW Canada and executive and parliamentary authorities in Mexico.

Mrs. Valencia Medina is coming to Canada to follow-up on this historical agreement, and her tour will kick off this Saturday when she meets with the AWA Bradford centre staff and members of “El Sembrador”, a church group providing spiritual services to migrant farm workers in the area. On Sunday May 17, Mrs. Valencia Medina will participate in the Leamington AWA centre’s opening ceremonies. During her visit she hopes to meet with workers from Mexico, and particularly migrant workers from her own state. Later on the week, the Minister will meet with AWA and UFCW Canada leaders, and will conclude her tour in Quebec where she is scheduled to visist the AWA centre in Saint Rémi.

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  Agriculture Workers Alliance Bits and Bites! 2(16) (http://awa-ata.ca/en/media/e-news-2009/e-news-vol2-issue-16/)
  

Agriculture and horticulture workers

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