British Columbia Federation of Labour

"Farmworkers can no longer be British Columbia's forgotten workers," said B.C. Federation of Labour President, Jim Sinclair. The situation facing farmworkers was highlighted when earlier this week a woman worker was killed and two other workers were critically injured and sent to the hospital when a van transporting 19 farmworkers overturned on the Trans-Canada highway near Langley, BC.

"When leaked government documents are pointing to the exploitation of farmworkers, the government can't continue to crow about returning to decades old employment standards," Sinclair said. "Far from the regressive changes the provincial government introduced a few months ago, this tragic incident clearly demonstrates the need for a comprehensive review and action plan to ensure the basic rights of farmworkers are not only protected but also enforced."

The B.C. Federation of Labour called on the provincial government to immediately implement a plan that would:

• Support the Canadian Farmworkers' Union in their call for a Coroner's Inquest into the tragic death of a farmworker on Sunday July 13, 2003. The inquest must examine and make recommendations on the issues including application of the Employment Standards Act, and inspections of vehicles transporting agricultural workers.
• Restore and increase roadside spot checks of vehicles transporting farmworkers, aggressively pursuing overcrowding, lack of seatbelts and the mechanical conditions of vehicles.
• Ensure farmworkers receive the same protection under the Employment Standards Act as other workers, including overtime and statutory holiday pay, and access to a complaints process.
• Restore Employment Standards staffing levels to ensure a basic level of enforcement of workers is required.
• Immediately implement an inter-agency team, including WCB, RCMP, HRDC, and the Motor Vehicle Branch, to ensure responsibility for enforcement is clearly delineated and acted upon.
• Ensure information about farmworkers' rights, including occupational health and safety issues such as the use of pesticides are distributed in a multi-lingual, accessible manner for a largely non-English speaking immigrant workforce.

After the provincial government's recent changes to Employment Standards farmworkers are now prevented from receiving overtime pay, pay for statutory holidays, and have no real access to the Ministry of Labour to place complaints of workplace abuse or exploitation.

"Farmworkers have struggled for decades to ensure some basic protection of their rights. Sadly, our provincial government responded to the lobby of farm-owners and farm labour contractors, and turned back the clock for these workers," Sinclair added.

"The death of any worker should always make us stop and review working conditions and practices," commented Sinclair, "but this tragedy and the continued exploitation of farmworkers requires some immediate action."

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For more information contact: Jessie Uppal (604) 430-1421 or 250 812-0052.