Liz, a womyn working as a migrant agricultural worker in Ontario, speaks about health issues & SAWP.

Series:

Migrant Matters Radio

  » # Episodes: 60
  » Most Recent: 5 Nov, 2015
  » Website: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=9085614140

Length: 0:12:26
Uploaded: 8 Apr, 2010

Recording Date: 9 Aug, 2009
Recording Location: Virgil, Ontario
Logsheet: none
Language: Spanish
Topical for: Timeless
Status: Complete, Ready to Air
Copyright:
Health & safety of migrant workers ignored by Migrant Matters Radio is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Program Title: Health & safety of migrant workers ignored (Spanish version)
Description: "My employer should understand that I'm not a machine..."- Liz

"What good are you to me in Canada if you can't work?" -an employer perpetuates the dominant culture of inhumaness, abuse and exploitation.

On August 9th 2009, Migrant Worker Community Health Day was held in Virgil, Ontario. The event sought to create a space in which migrant agricultural workers labouring in the region could voice their concerns, initiate dialogue, receive resources, and collectively strategize on how to reduce barriers and better their ability to ensure their health and well being. The following interview briefly highlights concerns commonly forwarded by individuals in the migrant worker community of Virgil. The interview is with Liz, a Mexican womyn labouring under the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP). She speaks to her expereinces under the program and connects discussion to the issue of health.

Host(s): MaryCarl Guiao
Featured Speakers/Guests: Liz

Credits: The event was organized by migrant worker advocacy groups ENLACE and the Migrant Support Center.

migrantmatters@riseup.net

Comments: The issue of health and safety is one of central concern among migrant agricultural workers labouring under the SAWP. Under this porgram that brings them to work 'temporarily' in Ontario fields, their right to health and safety has been largely deprioritized and in many cased ignored, leaving these individuals continuing to sustain the Canadian agricultural industry at great personal risk.

Health day in Virgil itself consisted of a series of workshops related to health. These workshops were based on the active participation of those attending, and were driven by their testimony and knowledge.