Equal rights NOW for Ontario agworkers Camaign

The men and women who harvest our food and feed our families need your help because fear, danger and oppression are daily realities in our food production system — and government is guilty of promoting it.

Help Canada’s agriculture workers by sharing this story — online and in person — with your friends, family and coworkers. Send a message you can’t accept a food system tainted with abuse, or a government that is guilty of allowing it to continue.


Read more about this campaign ...

MIgrant workers left unpaid at Ontario, Canada farm — Video

More than 130 migrant agriculture workers from Mexico and the Carribean were stranded and shortchanged at an Ontario farm when the farmer left town — and left the workers unpaid. Each season more than 28,000 migrant workers toil in Canada's fields, greenhouses and orchards. They come to Canada under a federal program that offers them little protection against abuse, exploitation or not getting paid.

What Recourse For Migrant Workers? (7:41) audio

A farmer from the Simcoe area who failed to pay his seasonal help has filed for bankruptcy protection. Stan Raper of the Agricultural Workers Alliance talks about what can be done to offer more security to migrant workers here in Ontario.

Listen to the interview by clicking here: CBC Radio - Ontario Morning

Migrant workers pay the price once more

136 migrant workers at a farm near Simcoe, Ont., say they are owed tens of thousands of dollars after their employer ran into financial trouble and left the country without paying them.

The 136 workers came to Ghesquiere Plant Farm from Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados. They are among thae 20,000 migrant workers who come to Ontario every year to plant and harvest fruit, vegetables and other crops — work that, at $10.25 an hour, most Canadians don't want.

Read the full story at CBC News

UN Finds Canada and Ontario Violate Human Rights

The International Labour Organization (ILO), an agency of the United Nations has ruled a ban on farm unions violates the human rights of Ontario’s 100,000 migrant and domestic farm worker

Read the full story here: http://ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2149&Itemid=290&lang=en

Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA) Year of Action Video

The Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA), in association with UFCW Canada, is Canada's largest national organization and support network for both domestic and migrant agriculture workers.

On the farm, in the courts, in the streets and across all borders — in 2010 the AWA and UFCW Canada stood
shoulder-to-shoulder with all farm workers in Canada in their struggle to have their labour rights and human rights upheld.

UFCW Canada has led a campaign for the rights and safety of farm workers in Canada for more than two decades.

This video reflects only a portion of what the AWA has done over the last year. Enjoy and don't forget to share with all your contacts. 

THANK YOU!!!

About 300 people filled the OFL hall Wednesday night to participate in the 11th Annual Cesar E. Chavez Black Eagle Awards Dinner.

Thank you to all of the sponsors and to all of our allies that came together to celebrate the outstanding work of all the award receipients.  Looking forward to see you next year at the 12th edition of the dinner! 

Stay tuned for video and pictures from the event to follow on the coming weeks.

11th Annual Cesar E. Chavez Blak Eagle Awards Dinner to be held TODAY!!

Reminder to all ticket holders to the 11th Annual Cesar E. Cahvez Black Eagle Awards Dinner to be held tonight at the Ontario Federation of Labour building starting at 5:30 pm. 

The UFCW Canada, the AWA and the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation would like to thank the following sponsors:

Canadian Labour Congress

Public Services Alliance of Canada

Ontario Public Services Employees Union

Services Employees International Union - Canadian Council

Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association

Workers Health and Safety Centre

Canadian Auto Workers - Social Justice Fund

United Food and Commercial Workers - Local 401

National Union of Public General Employees

Canadian Auto Workers - Local 414

Communications, Energy and Paper Workers of Canada - Ontario Region

Thistle Printing

Peace of Knowledge Inc.

United Food and Commercial Workers - Local 175 and 633

Cavalluzzo, Hayes, Shilton, McIntyre and Cornish Barristers and Solicitors

International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers

United Food and Commercial Workers - Local 1997

Canadian Union of Publick Employees - Local 4400

United Food and Commercial Workers - Local 1993

United Steelworkers - National Office

Canadian Union of Public Employees - National Office

United Steelworkers - Toronto Area Council

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - Local 353

Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario

Canadian Union of Postal Workers - Nationa Office / Ontario Local

The Cesar E. Chavez Black Eagle Award was established 11 years ago to recognize exceptional activists who make outstanding contributions to the fight for justice in Canada’s agriculture industry.

Every year, Black Eagle Award recipients are named in several different fields of activism that include Labour, Legal, Political, Cultural, International, and Academic categories.

On the 2010 Cesar E. Chavez Black Eagle Award Dinner we will be honouring the following recipients:

Leoney Godoy, Governor of the State of Michoacan, Mexico

Olivia Chow, National Democratic Party MP

Gil McGowan, Alberta Federation of Labour

Kerry Preibisch, Academic

Paul Cavalluzzo, Legal

Vincenzo Pietropaolo, Artist