UFCW Canada and the Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA) recognized the efforts of four outstanding advocates for change in Canada’s agriculture industry at a ceremony in Toronto on November 21.
Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico — Linda Marlene Alvarez Mendez, widow of Crisanto Jimenez Gomez, has received a $2,500 insurance benefit following the accidental death of her husband earlier this year in Canada. As a member of the Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA), Mr. Gomez was automatically covered by a no-cost accidental death policy issued by the American Income Life Insurance (AILI) company — the result of an historical agreement reached between AILI and UFCW Canada in September 2011.
While Toronto's Jane-Finch neighbourhood is often the focal point of negative attention, in reality it is one of Canada’s most diverse, enriched, and resilient communities. It is not often that the great work done by many Jane-Finch individuals, families and community groups is reported by the media, but that is not an indicator of the community's commitment. Daily, community leaders strive to alter the negative image Jane-Finch has come to have.
Two migrant agriculture workers who survived a horrific crash near Hampstead, Ontario that killed 11 others in February, told their story at Toronto's Ryerson University on October 2. Javier Alba Medina and Juan Ariza Mejia were critically injured when the van they were travelling in with other Peruvian migrant workers was struck by another vehicle on February 6. Since then, the men have been recuperating at a London, Ontario facility, but neither will possibly ever fully regain their physical capacities.
UFCW Canada and the Mexican state of Michoacán have signed an enhanced mutual collaboration agreement to protect the human and labour rights of Michoacán migrant agriculture workers in Canada.
Migrant agricultural workers from Ontario's Niagara region gathered at the Virgil AWA agriculture worker support centre on September 16, to celebrate Mexico's, as well as Central America's Independence Day. They were joined at the festivities and barbeque by community members, allies, AWA staff, as well as members of Students Against Migrant Exploitation (SAME).
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United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Canada's private sector union