Examples of TFW's being exploited

[Urban Cowboy]

Might want to spend some of that screen time learning how to quote properly, as it seems to be a recurring issue.

There's a "preview" button in place for a reason.

[W105]

well 40% (almost half) of BC Farmers apparently don't give a merde about how they treat their employees...if they have no concern about housing them like animals, it's pretty easy to assume that they work them like animals...cheap, slave labor...

if any Canadian is ok with that then you're

[Urban Cowboy]

well 40% (almost half) of BC Farmers apparently don't give a merde about how they treat their employees...if they have no concern about housing them like animals, it's pretty easy to assume that they work them like animals...cheap, slave labor...

if any Canadian is ok with that then you're ..

You know what they say about assuming I hope.

Also based on your remark if you're making accusations, without having visited any of these bad housing situations, you may as well look in the mirror to see a .

[Catsumi]

Keep this impersonal please.

[Urban Cowboy]

One more observation I need to mention is, considering how many farms I've had occasion to do work at over the last couple of decades, I find it very suspicious that all the places I saw were decent living conditions, in fact often new structures, or modular buildings.

If 40% are slum like conditions one would think I'd have come across at least one or two.

Something certainly doesn't add up.

[stuphoto]

Just pointing out that some farmers hire locals, and aren't at all linked to these statistics.

[W105]

well this is a hard decision to make...who to believe ?? Mexico’s top diplomat in British Columbia , who visited 350 farms and spoke to 5000 workers in the last four yrs and said the conditions for housing are horrific and not fit for an animal to live in...OR...a stranger on the internet who said that he's done some work at farms in the last 20 yrs who thinks that this person is lying because what he saw doesn't match up ??

you don't have to believe what this top diplomat from Mexico said Urban Cowboy but just because you don't doesn't make it untrue....if you have such solid proof that it's all a lie, then please take it to the media and prove the accusation wrong..

btw, who knew that the word "dick" is a censored word on here...pity anybody who has the name Dick on the board...lol

[the truth]

well this is a hard decision to make...who to believe ?? Mexico’s top diplomat in British Columbia , who visited 350 farms and spoke to 5000 workers in the last four yrs and said the conditions for housing are horrific and not fit for an animal to live in...OR...a stranger on the internet who said that he's done some work at farms in the last 20 yrs who thinks that this person is lying because what he saw doesn't match up ??

you don't have to believe what this top diplomat from Mexico said Urban Cowboy but just because you don't doesn't make it untrue....if you have such solid proof that it's all a lie, then please take it to the media and prove the accusation wrong..

btw, who knew that the word "dick" is a censored word on here...pity anybody who has the name Dick on the board...lol

agree 100%

[LANDM]

Good to see the "woke" people here.

Of the roughly 550 B.C. farms with Mexican migrant workers, Diaz Ceballos said she has visited more than 350 of them and has spoken to over 5,000 workers over the last four years.

“Forty per cent have substandard housing,” said Diaz Ceballos. “It's horrible. We have found farms where the conditions are deplorable. It's not human to have a person living there.”

Diaz Ceballos described housing facilities covered in trash, infested with cockroaches and with no mattresses for the workers to sleep on. In some cases, farmers have installed padlocks on the outside of a bunk house’s only exit, effectively trapping workers inside.

“If there's an emergency, there's a fire, they will be dead immediately,” she said.

She doesn’t say where these farms are located, but I have seen zero reference to our area. It also doesn’t say when she visited them, as visiting in the off season, when nobody is occupying them, has little to do with the state when occupied.
Of the 140 farms she claims were substandard, it will be useful to hear a response from the farm community. If those were 140 farms in the off season in the lower mainland, I would be far less surprised than if she found 140 farms during the usage season in the Okanagan.
Also, she did not say what the substandard issues are. Only that there were circumstances where it was deplorable, not that all of them were. If she visited off season, having exterior locks would be appropriate for security as long as they are removed during the season for compliance.

It requires more information but, I’m sure the woke new labor activists here will be out today protesting local farmers with FWLM signs.

Perhaps living in West Van for many years has made her perception of farmworker housing a bit jaded. And, since I am certain that some of the new anti-farm labor experts here are also disbelievers in climate change, you will have to change your mind since she has strong opinions on that too and she must be right.......right?

But, the reality is, I would like more information before assuming anything, but others are welcome to get out the pitchforks and torches and march on the farms tonight.
And, for the record and so the newly minted SJW's don’t pile on me, I believe that any substandard housing that is present during the season or immediately prior to use should result in that farmer losing their ability to participate in the SAWP. I do not, and would not, condone that in any way.

[LANDM]

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/307371/Orchards-plead-for-workers-as-they-are-forced-to-abandon-crops

Looks like the people arguing against TFWs because they aren’t needed are spectacularly wrong. Not that if was a surprise.

Where are all those hardworking Canadians?

[stuphoto]

Doesn't mean a thing.

Are those farmers actually going to treat their Canadian workers decently?
Will they offer the Canadian workers traveling safe clean accommodations like they are supposed to with TFW's?
How about fair pay?

Besides correct me if I am wrong, but the farmers can still bring in workers.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Canada/30 ... ction-deal

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/302807 ... rm-workers

This is the most likely cause for their issues.

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/303962 ... nt-workers

[the truth]

exactly....................

[Even Steven]

We have record unemployment.

And record shortage of farm workers.

Put these together to understand how much Canadian workers would like to do actual labour.

If this isn't an argument for TFWs I don't know what is.

[Vacancyrate]

We have record unemployment.

And record shortage of farm workers.

Put these together to understand how much Canadian workers would like to do actual labour.

If this isn't an argument for TFWs I don't know what is.

Then you don't know.

Why would I work a farm job and exempt myself from overtime hours and bust my rear for minimum wage when I could get a job at a warehouse for 20 a hour, with overtime, with benefits. Both jobs require that I can lift 25 pounds and that I'm breathing.

Capitalism says that if your can find workers you need to raise the wages. A lack of workers is not the cue to start insulting others and calling them lazy.

Are you lazy because YOU won't mow my lawn all summer for minimum wage? Obviously right?

[Urban Cowboy]

We have record unemployment.

And record shortage of farm workers.

Put these together to understand how much Canadian workers would like to do actual labour.

If this isn't an argument for TFWs I don't know what is.

Well stated.

If our Canadian labour force truly was losing jobs to TFW's well then we wouldn't have farmers desperate for workers, and in the unfortunate position of having to abandon crops.

This certainly supports the notion that those who are so vehemently opposed to TFW's, and repeatedly tell us Canadians aren't lazy and will do the work, are sorely out of touch with the realities of farming as many have tried to enlighten them to no avail.