2009
Agriculture Workers Alliance
- AWA Members participate in the Migrant Justice Assembly
- Migrant agriculture workers focus of new photo-essay book
- AWA Leamington team grows by 1!
AWA E-News
Agriculture Workers Alliance
AWA Members participate in the Migrant Justice Assembly
Members of the AWA participated in the Migrant Justice Assembly organized by No One is Illegal this past Friday, Oct. 23, 2009, at Ryerson University.
The assembly was a call to action to all organizations advocating for migrant workers —whether documented or undocumented— to have an open discussion regarding the broken immigration system in Canada and to come with an action plan for the future.
The event was well attended by different labour organizations, academics, community organizations, and others.
Pablo Godoy from the AWA had a chance to talk about the AWA program and how important it was to use these events to come together towards the common goal.
Migrant agriculture workers focus of new photo-essay book
Acclaimed Canadian documentary photographer and social activist Vincenzo Pietropaolo has been photographing migrant farm workers and recording their stories since 1984 – in the process travelling to 40 locations throughout Ontario and to their homes in Mexico, Jamaica, and Montserrat.
His new book, Harvest Pilgrims, gathers those photos and words in a compelling testament to the tens of thousands of migrant workers who are the backbone of Canada’s agriculture industry, yet continue to be denied many of the basic workplace rights that protect other workers.
The publication of Harvest Pilgrims was made possible by a grant from UFCW Canada.
The book recently received its official launch at an event hosted by UFCW Canada at the Workers Arts & Heritage Centre in Hamilton, Ont., where an exhibition of the original photos is taking place through to the end of the year.
“They are essential workers who, at great sacrifice to themselves and their families, put food on our table – yet most Canadians don’t even know they exist,” Pietropaolo says.
“That is starting to change, in large part because of the long-standing efforts of UFCW Canada to stand up for these workers, to fight for their constitutional right to bargain collectively, and to give them a voice.
“Thanks to the support of UFCW Canada, Harvest Pilgrims is now part of that effort to make Canadians aware of the sacrifices and the injustices many of these workers face.
For a video preview of the new book, UFCW Canada has also produced a mini-documentary, Vincenzo Pietropaolo – witness to the Harvest Pilgrims. To see the video follow this link: http://awa-ata.ca/en/resources-for-agriculture-workers-and-others/movies-about-farm-workers-in-canada/
The 10-minute short film has also been selected for screening at the upcoming Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF) in November.
The book is available online from www.btlbooks.com.
AWA Leamington team grows by 1!
The AWA team and its affiliates across the country would like to congratulate the new addition to Rene Vidal (Coordinator of the AWA Leamington office) and his wife Mary Vidal: Emma Kathryn Vidal, born October 17, 2009.
Rene and Mary have worked at the AWA Leamington office since its opening back in 2002. The AWA Leamington was the first centre to open its doors to agriculture workers – foreign and domestic – to provide them with support and information regarding their labour and human rights while working in Canada.
We wish the Vidal family the best and look forward to seeing this new addition working in the cause in the not so distant future.
Agriculture and horticulture workers
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