Document Details

2011-12-19

UFCW Canada

Issues

UFCW Canada

UFCW Canada and the Agriculture Workers Alliance are calling on all activists to support an international campaign to stop the Mexican government from reaching across Canada's border to violate our labour laws, our Charter, and the human rights of Mexican migrant workers in Canada.

Here are the facts. There are serious allegations that migrant farm workers in British Columbia are being blacklisted for voicing their support for the union and trying to exercise their basic Human Right to organize and bargain collectively.

Charges have been filed with the B.C. Labour Board that the federal government of Mexico and its Vancouver consulate conspired with two British Columbia agriculture operations to blacklist Mexican seasonal migrant workers from returning to Canada this season because they were union sympathizers.

The evidence includes leaked documents that indicate blacklisting activity. The charges were filed by UFCW Canada Local 1518 — the union that migrant workers at Floralia Farms and Sidhu Nurseries voted to join. In addition to the blacklist, the Mexico consulate has also told workers at B.C. farms to stop visiting union-run support centres operated by the Agriculture Workers Alliance.

What does Mexico say to all of this? Mexico and its Vancouver consulate have claimed diplomatic immunity.

• 
  Stop the Blacklisting of Migrant Workers (http://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2564:stop-the-blacklisting-of-migrant-workers&catid=6:directions-newsletter&Itemid=342&lang=en)
  

Agriculture and horticulture workers

Support initiatives

Journalists, Public awareness, Unions, and NGOs/community groups/solidarity networks

Right to unionize and Right to equality (national origin)

Canada, Ontario, Alberta, México, Manitoba, Quebec, British Columbia, Other provinces, Federal, and Nova Scotia

English