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press release

Migrant farm workers in Ontario strike against working conditions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Migrant farm workers stage wildcat strike to demand thousands of dollars in unpaid wages: Employer responds with deportation

November 23, 2010

(Simcoe, Ontario) Over 100 migrant farm workers employed at Ghesquiere Plants Ltd. are facing imminent repatriation (deportation) after staging a wildcat strike to demanding thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.

The migrant workers from Mexico, Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados came together across racial, linguistic and ethnic lines to organize this wildcat strike and strengthen their collective power. The workers employed by this farm described numerous rights violations and complaints about their living conditions including the following:

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Migrant Matters

Escalating migrant and refugee repression in Canada - Panel

May 24, 2012
| The wide impact that migration and Canada has on low-income racialized people from the Global South who are going to work and/or seeking refuge here.

63:26 minutes (145.19 MB)
rabble series

Inside the working conditions of migrant workers: Journal seven and epilogue

Wall graffiti written in Chinese on a greenhouse bathroom stall. Photo: Aylwin Lo

In light of the recent tragic incident involving the death of 10 migrant workers in Southern Ontario, I felt it was finally time to take the wraps off of a journal I kept during a two-week trip in early 2004 to investigate the conditions of undocumented Chinese migrant farm workers. I hope this can help shed light on the kinds of conditions faced every day by the people who tend, pick and process the food we eat.

This is the seventh in a series. See here for the first entry.

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rabble series

Inside the working conditions of migrant workers: Journal six

A list of demands. Photo: Aylwin Lo

In light of the recent tragic incident involving the death of 10 migrant workers in Southern Ontario, I felt it was finally time to take the wraps off of a journal I kept during a two-week trip in early 2004 to investigate the conditions of undocumented Chinese migrant farm workers. I hope this can help shed light on the kinds of conditions faced every day by the people who tend, pick and process the food we eat.

This is the sixth in a series. See here for the first entry.

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rabble series

Inside the working conditions of migrant workers: Journal five

In light of the recent tragic incident involving the death of 10 migrant workers in Southern Ontario, I felt it was finally time to take the wraps off of a journal I kept during a two-week trip in early 2004 to investigate the conditions of undocumented Chinese migrant farm workers. I hope this can help shed light on the kinds of conditions faced every day by the people who tend, pick and process the food we eat.

This is the fifth in a series. See here for the first entry.

embedded_video

rabble series

Inside the working conditions of migrant workers: Journal four

View from the writer's bunk. Photo: Aylwin Lo

In light of the recent tragic incident involving the death of 10 migrant workers in Southern Ontario, I felt it was finally time to take the wraps off of a journal I kept during a two-week trip in early 2004 to investigate the conditions of undocumented Chinese migrant farm workers. I hope this can help shed light on the kinds of conditions faced every day by the people who tend, pick and process the food we eat.

This is the fourth in a series. See here for the first entry.

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rabble series

Inside the working conditions of migrant workers: Journal three

Photo: Aylwin Lo

In light of the recent tragic incident involving the death of 10 migrant workers in Southern Ontario, I felt it was finally time to take the wraps off of a journal I kept during a two-week trip in early 2004 to investigate the conditions of undocumented Chinese migrant farm workers. I hope this can help shed light on the kinds of conditions faced every day by the people who tend, pick and process the food we eat.

This is the third in a series. See here for the first entry.

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Migrant Matters

Guelph hosts vigil to honour 11 victims of migrant worker van tragedy

February 21, 2012
| Year after year, migrants without full status die in Ontario. Speakers at a Guelph vigil talk about the latest news on this -- the 10 people who were killed in a Hampstead, Ont. crash this month.

10:59 minutes (10.06 MB)
rabble series

Inside the working conditions of migrant workers: Journal two

In light of the recent tragic incident involving the death of 10 migrant workers in Southern Ontario, I felt it was finally time to take the wraps off of a journal I kept during a two-week trip in early 2004 to investigate the conditions of undocumented Chinese migrant farm workers. I hope this can help shed light on the kinds of conditions faced every day by the people who tend, pick and process the food we eat.

This is the second in a series. See here for the first entry.

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Family Day Action to Demand Justice for Migrant Farmworker Deaths

Feb 17 2012 - 12:00pm
Feb 17 2012 - 2:00pm

Location

Office of the Chief Coroner
32 Grenville St. (College and Bay)
Toronto, ON
Canada
43° 39' 41.5872" N, 79° 23' 9.9456" W

As Ontarians prepare to celebrate Family Day, Justicia for Migrant Workers is urging community allies to join us to demand justice for the families of Ralston White and Paul Roach. We will also be remembering the lives tragically lost in the recent crash that killed ten migrant workers just outside London, ON. Ten migrant workers employed as chicken catchers and the driver of a transport truck died on February 6, 2012.

Contact name: 
Chris Ramsaroop 647-834-4932 or Nicole Wall 613-296-8719
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