Father's Day activism launches "Migrant Workers Are Parents Too" campaign

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Toronto – June 17, 2013 - Migrant agriculture workers, UFCW Canada and AWA activists, and community allies gathered to celebrate the Father's Day weekend, and to also send a message to the Harper government that Migrant Workers Are Parents Too.

The Father's Day festivities at the AWA centres in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec included good food, music, and a warm and an appreciative break for workers thousands away from their homes and families. The gatherings also marked the launch of a UFCW Canada and AWA national grassroots and online campaign to fight back against the Harper government's latest attack on migrant workers: cutting their access to Parental Leave EI benefits in spite of the fact that migrant agriculture workers pay over $25 million in EI premiums a year.

Postcards addressed to Prime Minister Harper were distributed to all the workers and guests at the Father's Day gatherings, with a message that "Migrant Workers Are Parents Too". Hundreds were sent on Father's Day, with thousands more cards to be distributed to allies and community members.  

Migrant workers and activists at the AWA Simcoe centre in Ontario delivered their postcards directly to the constituency office of Diane Finley. Finley's ministry regulates migrant and temporary worker programs in Canada, as well as the EI program for the Harper government.

"Government Boss Harper has again targeted migrant workers arbitrarily; this time by  stripping them of one of the only EI benefits they ever received in exchange for the millions they continue to pay into EI each year", says National President Hanley. "It is hurtful to the workers, hurtful to their families, and blatantly discriminatory."

UFCW Canada activists and allies are encouraged to join the campaign to end this discrimination by sending a message to Stephen Harper that Migrant Workers Are Parents Too.