LAZARO CARDENAS, MICHOACAN, MEXICO — UFCW Canada recently strengthened its presence in Michoacán, Mexico through its participation at a conference for municipal functionaries in charge of servicing migrant workers from that state.
Recently, UFCW Canada Local 501 in collaboration with the AWA support centres in Saint-Rémi and Saint-Eustache organized a cultural and sports event outing for migrant agriculture workers in the Montreal area.
UFCW Canada recently strengthened its relationship with Guatemalan migrant workers by signing a cooperation agreement with AGUND (Asociación de Guatemaltecos Unidos por Nuestros Derechos). As Guatemala’s strongest advocate for migrant workers, AGUND – like UFCW Canada – has long been a leading voice in denouncing the substandard living and working conditions of Guatemalan migrant workers in Canada.
Marlene Gordon came to Canada in 2009 as a temporary foreign worker. As a proud mother of two young children and one stepson, she felt compelled to seek international employment outside of her native Jamaica to provide for her family. She didn’t see migration as a choice but as a need to improve her family’s livelihood. Marlene hoped that by working full time in Canada, she’d have the opportunity to pursue her studies in early childhood education.
The Students Against Migrant Exploitation, or the S.A.M.E., are continuing to spread their message and hundreds are listening, especially in Facebook where the group’s new Page already has over 1,100 Likes.
Walter Sanchez, 40-years-old, arrived in Canada from Honduras in June 2008, under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program. He had worked in a variety of precarious, contract jobs back home after completing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Sciences, because he couldn’t find secure work in his field. "In Honduras, contract work can be found but full-time work with benefits for your family is almost impossible to secure," says Walter. "It is a way for companies to avoid being accountable to workers over the long-term."
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United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Canada's private sector union
