A Look at Seasonal Agricultural Workers

The MFL Occupational Health Centre's current series of public presentations on occupational and environmental health will conclude on Tuesday, April 6. The presentation on that day will open with 51-minute video "El Contrato" (The Contract). The video, in English and Spanish (English subtitles) follows a father of four living in Mexico and several others as they make an annual migration to Canada to harvest vegetables.

Under the Seasonal Worker Agricultural Program, Manitoba receives over 400 migrant workers, mostly from Mexico. These workers face low pay and poor working conditions and while they pay taxes, they do not qualify for many of the benefits other Manitoba workers enjoy, such as health care. El Contrato gives voice to the desire of the workers for dignity, respect, and better working conditions. The showing of the video will be followed by a discussion with Gustavo Mejicanos and Loreto Gutierrez from the Agricultural Workers Alliance. The Alliance is an organization that provides help and assistance to migrant workers to access benefits that they are entitled to and on other issues that migrant workers face while in Canada.

The video showing and discussion will be on Tuesday, April 6, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., in Room 103 of the Union Centre, 275 Broadway. Admission is free - and everyone is welcome. For more information please contact Tiffany Pau, phone 926-7909 or email tiffany.pau@mflohc.mb.ca.