Halifax – March 27, 2019 – UFCW Canada activists recently joined hundreds of academics, service providers, and government officials from across Canada and the United States at the 2019 National Metropolis Conference, held in Halifax from March 21 to 23.

For over two decades, the National Metropolis Conference has served as an annual forum for researchers, policy makers, and representatives from community, labour, and settlement organizations to exchange knowledge and experience in the field of immigration and settlement. 

At the conference, UFCW activists highlighted our union’s work in advocating for mandatory health and safety training for migrant workers in Canada, as well as UFCW Canada’s efforts to provide temporary migrant workers and family members with pathways to permanent residency through UFCW collective agreements. Visitors to the UFCW Canada conference booth also learned about our union’s work to improve the living and working conditions of migrant workers in Canada and help stop labour exploitation and human trafficking.

In addition, UFCW previewed a soon-to-be-released webinar, dubbed “Your Rights at Work,” that seeks to raise awareness of employment standards, workplace rights, and the power of collective bargaining among migrant workers, researchers, policy makers, and community and settlement organizations.

Conference participants also engaged in a wide range of workshops and panel discussions on refugee rights and migration issues in Canada and the U.S., and heard from Halifax Mayor Mike Savage, Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold, and Michael Tutton of the Canadian Press, among other notable speakers. A major focus of the conference was the critical role that immigration continues to play in helping to grow economies throughout North America.

As Canada's union for agriculture workers, UFCW operates numerous support centres that provide essential services to thousands of migrant and agriculture workers across the country. UFCW Canada is also a leading advocate on issues surrounding migrant and refugee rights. To learn more about UFCW’s ground-breaking work in these areas, click here.