• Français
Find Your Local Union
Subscribe to E-news
 
Login
Scholarships
Contact

UFCW Canada - Union Logo

Canada's Private Sector Union

  • About Our Union
  • Media & News
  • Resources
  • Issues
  • Action Centre
  • Join the Union

Ontario court ruling opens the gate to farm unions

Ontario Court of Appeal rules Ontario law excluding agriculture workers from collective bargaining violates Charter of Rights and Freedoms

More multimedia coverage available

 

TORONTO, November 17, 2008 — The Ontario Court of Appeal has told the Ontario government to drop its ban on farm unions because it violates the Charter rights of Ontario's more than 100,000 agriculture workers. In a written decision delivered Monday, the court ruled that Ontario's Agricultural Employees Protection Act (AEPA), which currently denies Ontario farm workers the right to unionize, is a violation of Freedom of Association rights guaranteed under the Charter. The court has given the McGuinty government until November 17, 2009 to provide farm workers with
 BNN(Business News Network) - Nov 17 2008
sufficient legislative protections to enable them to bargain collectively as other workers in the province.
 "This is a victory for all agriculture workers in Ontario," said Wayne Hanley, the National President of UFCW Canada. "After decades of struggle on behalf of Ontario's farm workers, UFCW Canada is glad the courts have affirmed that the most vulnerable group of workers in Ontario is entitled to full union representation. Now it's time for the McGuinty Ontario government to join the 21st century and end this discriminatory gap in democracy as soon as possible."
 
UFCW Canada represents workers at a number of farms in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec. Last May it brought an appeal on behalf of three Ontario agricultural workers. In 2003, they along with most of their more than 200 fellow workers voted to create a UFCW Canada bargaining unit at a mushroom grow house factory farm in Kingsville, Ontario. The certificate was never issued because of the exclusion under the AEPA.
 
In Monday's ruling, the Ontario Court of Appeal agreed that the AEPA exclusion violated the workers' constitutional rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, section 2(d). The ruling was reinforced by a June 2007 precedent setting decision by the Supreme Court of Canada which ruled, "...the Section 2(d) guarantee of Freedom of Association protects the capacity of members of labour unions to engage in collective bargaining on workplace issues." (B.C. Health Services).

"This decision breathes new life into Freedom of Association in Ontario," said Hanley. "Most importantly, it gives agriculture workers a fundamental right which all other Ontario workers have had for over 60 years--the right to bargain collectively. Agriculture workers in Ontario will finally be able to negotiate with their employers without fear of penalty or reprisal."

"Finally, workplace democracy has reached the agriculture workers of Ontario."

UFCW Canada in association with the Agriculture Workers Alliance operates eight support centres across Canada for agriculture workers. UFCW Canada is also Canada's largest private-sector union with over 250,000 members across the country working in every sector of the food industry from field to table.

-30-
 

NEWS LINKS:

 

32000 Ontario farm workers win right to unionize
Toronto Star

Court ruling allows farm worker unions
Windsor Star

Ruling allows farm workers in Ontario to unionize
CBC.ca

Court rips Ont. law on ag worker unions
Canadian Cattlemen Online
  • Join the Union
  • About Our Union
    • About Our Union
      • Find Your Local Union
      • National President
      • National Council
      • Constitution
      • Union History
      • UFCW Canada Annual Report
      • Brand Guidelines
      • Join UFCW Canada
  • Media & News
    • Media & News
      • News
      • Media
      • Subscribe to E-news
  • Resources
    • Resources
      • Stand for Canada, Shop UFCW-made
      • The National Defence Fund
      • Migrant Members
      • Union Training & Scholarships
      • Member Discounts
      • Health & Safety
      • UFCW Canada Equity Grant Program
  • Issues
    • Issues
      • Leukemia Fundraising
      • Political Action
      • Women and Gender Equity
      • Social Justice
      • The Union for Agriculture Workers
      • UFCW Pride – Union Pride!
      • Young Workers
      • Food Justice
      • Global Solidarity
      • Uber Drivers United
      • Conscious Cannabis
  • Action Centre
    • Action Centre
      • Affordability for All
      • Violence is not part of the job: Respect Frontline Workers!
      • Make Truth and Reconciliation a paid day of recognition and remembrance
      • Paid Sick Days Now!
      • Migrant workers deserve permanent residency
      • End the Heritage Inn Lockout Now
  • Join the Union
    • Join the Union
      • Why UFCW Canada
      • Union Advantage
      • Union Facts
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Everything About Unions
      • Industries We Represent
      • Workplaces We Represent
      • How to Join a Union
      • Join Now

Login

FacebookXYoutube2Instagram

Copyright © 2025 UFCW Canada. All Rights Reserved
United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Canada's private sector union