Migrant worker rights highlighted at annual AWA community barbeque

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Virgil, Ont. – June 18, 2018 – Over 250 migrant agriculture workers attended the Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA) Welcome Back Community Barbeque and Know Your Rights Workshop on June 10, held at the AWA centre in Virgil, Ontario.

Workers and community members enjoyed an informative and fun-filled day of music, laughs, and food. The day included a workshop that educates workers on their rights in Canada, focusing on occupational health and safety laws, WSIB insurance, housing, and labour rights.

The barbeque was supported by Compas Unidos – a Toronto-based migrant worker rights group that provided volunteers for the event. Compas Unidos is a longstanding partner with UFCW Canada and the AWA, collaborating on several projects each year that support migrant workers in Ontario.

“As the leading voice for agriculture workers in Canada, it is vital that we ensure migrant workers know their rights at work,” says UFCW Canada National President Paul Meinema. “We must also continue the fight for improved working conditions for the hard-working women and men who harvest the food we enjoy every day. Events like the AWA Community Barbecue are one of the ways we give back and show our gratitude for migrant workers’ contributions,” he adds.

As Canada’s leading and most progressive union, UFCW operates numerous Agriculture Worker Support Centres that provide essential support and services to thousands of migrant and agriculture workers across the country. To learn more about these services, visit UFCW Canada’s Agriculture Workers website. You can also follow the Agriculture Workers Alliance on Facebook.