Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps Certificate

 

A collective approach to the world

 Community workers always view any problem through the lens of the community and its core elements: the people. Self-care isn’t just for individuals. Because community, anti-oppression practice, climate crisis, or neoliberalism all share a fundamental and common element: the human. Therefore, when a human or person practises self-care, the impact extends beyond that individual to the entire environment.

For example, an individual wears a mask primarily to protect themselves from germs; it is a form of self-care. However, the entire community also benefits, as masks reduce the spread of germs. This lessens the pressure on hospitals. It has been observed that when hospitals are very crowded, minoritised groups receive less support than whites. Therefore, masks help reduce this oppression. Neoliberal ideology promotes keeping all vaccines private, meaning people or governments must pay large sums to acquire them, and poorer countries or individuals might not access them. For those individuals, wearing a mask is a simple solution.

Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVE):

 Policy Name: Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program

STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVE: Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (A non-profit organization)

Brief Policy Overview: 

By the policy “Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP),” employers can bring Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) from other countries if Canadian and Permanent Resident workers are not available for that job. This policy was first established in 1960 with Jamaika, and later, Mexico and some other Caribbean countries were added. 

There are three fixed rules that the employer must meet. First, the workers must be from Mexico or the participant’s Caribbean countries. Second, the production work must be in specific commodity sectors. Third, all activities should be directly related to farm agricultural production. 

In the policy, the foreign governments have a significant role. Their responsibilities are to recruit the workers, ensure that they have the necessary documents, maintain the quality of the workers, and appoint representatives in Canada to work for them. 

Here, the Quality of workers means they have farming knowledge, are at least 18 years of age, and can satisfy Canadian Immigration laws and the laws of their home country. 

Description of Stakeholder Group:

Who they are:

One of the non-profit community organizations, “Migrant Workers Alliance for Change,” is working actively on this social policy. The organization helps migrant workers stand up against the worst employers and fix problems with the immigration policy. They bring together migrant workers in firms, factories, campuses, and communities and work with Indigenous, labour, climate, and faith allies. 

History:

This organization was established in 2008 as a Coalition of Migrant Workers. In 2020, it renamed itself the Migrant Rights Network-Ontario. The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change is a member and serves as the secretariat for the Migrant Rights Network and Migrant Rights Network – Ontario. 

How impacted by policy:

Migrant Workers Alliance for Change is an organization that works to win worker and immigration justice for migrant workers, care workers, students and more. The organization also works to inform workers about their immigration and workers' rights. For example, if the permits expire, what can they do about an open work permit, what is the minimum wage, and where can they get financial assistance? 

Stakeholder Perspective / Arguments About Policy:

Argument 1:

The organization is working to unite and ensure Canada does the right thing. It grants permanent status to all – including people without papers and those who arrive in the future. 

Argument 2:

The organization supports the workers who hold a closed work permit (employer-specific) and who are at risk of experiencing abuse or are already experiencing abuse with the employer they currently have a contract. It supports the workers to prepare part of the application, and then they will refer to a partner organization to finalize the application at no cost. 

Argument 3

Ensuring workers have the best legal support when they speak up, Handbook Design: A comprehensive way to learn rights and track hours and wages, Translation: Making our handbook available in many languages. Distribution: Directly to migrant workers in farms and fish plants in rural communities across Canada; educate migrant workers to contribute to the survey because the federal government asked the Temporary Foreign Workers to share their opinions. 

Stakeholder Recommendation on the Policy (concise statement):

(Opening Statement for the debate)

Every year, temporary migrant workers in farms and fishery face injustice in tens of thousands of dollars in wages, which is stolen by bad bosses. They are trapped in a system where speaking up means risking homelessness, poverty, deportation, and a ban from returning. “Migrant Workers Alliance for Changes” is launching a Worker Rights Handbook and Video Series for migrants to know their rights and gather evidence of exploitation. 

End line:

Everybody deserves to work and stay with their family. Sadly, the Canadian government keeps migrant worker separated by denying their permanent resident status. “Migrant Workers Alliance for Change” made a petition to sign to change this system. 

Bibliography:

Canada, E. and S. D. (2023, March 21). Government of Canada. Hire a temporary worker through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program - Overview - Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/agricultural/seasonal-agricultural.html

Migrant Workers Alliance for Change. About. (2023a, February 7). https://migrantworkersalliance.org/about/

Contracted or Part time workers in Canada

When any company hires part-time workers or employees, we assume they don't have much work, but some important job needs to be done; that's why they are taking part-time employees. As a part-time employee, you don't have access to all benefits from the government and the employee, and there is no guarantee of working hours, etc. After joining, we found that the employee started giving you more hours than a full-time employee; you have tons of work to do in the limited time, so they need to appoint more people. But your status remains as a part-time employee, not a permanent or full-time employee with all available benefits.

Some work as contract workers. Again, they don't have any job security. After every contract, they must keep applying to get the job. This continues year after year, and they are still not full-time permanent employees. They don't have job security, mental peace, or the full benefits they deserve. This is inhuman.

We need to improve this situation. Any employee who worked 35 hours or more for 3 months (maybe not in a row) should be appointed a full-time employee. We understand that the organization needs a full-time employee, and they have an experienced part-time employee who can work full-time. 

Any employee who worked as a contracted or part-time employee for 1 year should be offered a full-time position. By this time, the organization already knows how the employee works, and the employee also has an idea of how this organization is suited for them.

This will encourage any employee to work better, delicately and with peace of mind, which will affect their work directly, and any employer can have better service and dedicated employees in their organization. People should have a good work environment in Canada.