Jamaican Fact-Finding Team In Canada To Assess Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme

A special fact-finding team, established by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Karl Samuda, is now in Canada to assess the status of Jamaicans participating in that country’s seasonal agricultural workers programme.

The group, which comprises Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) President, Helene Davis-Whyte; Industrial Dispute Tribunal (IDT) Deputy Chairman, Danny Roberts; Caribbean Employers’ Federation (CEF) President, Wayne Chen; Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF) Second Vice President, Raymond Eytle; Social Researcher, Kandre Leveridge; and Ministry officers, Simone McKenzie-Mair and Sidia Madden, landed in Canada on October 7.

Mrs. Davis-Whyte, who chairs the group, told JIS News during an interview at the Jamaican Liaison Service in Toronto on Tuesday (October 11), that approximately 70 farms have been selected for visits by members of the team over a two-week period, via a random-sampling method.

She said this methodology was utilised “so that we would be able to ensure that there was validity to the work that we are doing [and] that there would be no bias in the report when we complete it”.

On Monday (October 10), two farms were visited and interviews conducted with some of the Jamaican workers there.

“In one case, we conducted a focus group [session] with the workers on that particular farm, and in the other case we actually interviewed workers individually, using a survey tool that we had developed. We also spoke with the owners of the farm and observed the living accommodations to make sure that we were actually seeing the conditions under which the workers were living as well as working,” Mrs. Davis-Whyte outlined.

She pointed out that the group’s work commenced prior to departing Jamaica, via virtual meetings with various stakeholder and advocate groups as well as principals of the programme in Jamaica, the Jamaican Liaison Service in Canada, and representatives of the Canadian government – Service Canada – among others.

According to Mrs. Davis-Whyte, the team has been mandated to deliver a report “that will ensure that the total picture is told of what exactly we have found, in terms of the conditions under which [Jamaican] farm workers work in Canada, and to also look at the programme itself… to see if [where necessary] we can make recommendations for improvement”.

The seasonal agricultural workers programme began in 1966 and is spread across some 655 farms in 10 Canadian provinces. Approximately 10,000 Jamaicans participate in the programme.