Not my tomato — that’s the message the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) are trying to get across this March with the help of Students Against Migrant Exploitation (SAME).
The union has been visiting university campuses across the country with activists and workers, hoping to get people thinking about the conditions under which their food is harvested.
“We are focussed on building widespread awareness on the issue of migrant workers, hoping to inspire people into becoming active in the fight for migrant worker justice,” said SAME coordinator Pablo Godoy in a written statement.
They’re also making a push into social media, using the #NotMyTomato hashtag to encourage discussion about migrant worker issues.
The tour comes on the heels of a report released by UFCW that details how migrant workers are limited from accessing Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. “The Great Canadian Rip-Off” makes a 40 page case that migrant workers should be given full access to EI benefits since they pay into the program. Since migrant workers travel between their home countries and Canada, they often are ineligible for the program since they are unavailable to work.
“This report clearly shows that migrant farm workers are being ripped off, and that’s why we’re calling on the Harper Government to end its EI scam against [Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program] SAWP workers,” said UFCW President Paul Meinema in a written statement.
More information on SAME tour dates can be found at facebook.com/samegroup or @thesamegroup
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