Jamaican Fact-Finding Team Visits Additional Farms in Canada

Additional farms in Canada have been visited by a team of Jamaican factfinders, now midway into a two-week assessment of that country’s seasonal agricultural workers programme.

Farms with as little as two and as many as 400 workers were visited on Thursday (October 13) and Friday (October 14) by Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) President, Helene Davis-Whyte, who chairs the team, and group member, Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC) President, Wayne Chen.

Other representatives of the seven-member team, which was established by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, were also subdivided into smaller groups which are visiting farms in British Columbia and Nova Scotia.

Mr. Chen told JIS News that “much progress” is being made, with the programmed itinerary for each day, inclusive of the number of farms visited and Jamaican workers interviewed, being fulfilled.

In some instances, workers spoke to the researchers in small groups or pairs. However, in other cases, a few of the workers were spoken to individually.

Names are not being documented for the study, and a random sampling method is being utilised.

As the factfinders continued their undertaking, JIS News interacted with several of the workers, who shared information their daily engagements and adjustments made to life in Canada.

Activities, such as cooking and washing, are done individually on most farms, which the workers say reduce the likelihood of rifts arising.

Only one group of Jamaicans, who work on a sweet potato farm in Clarksburg, said cooking together saves them money.

While in the Simcoe area, on one of the biggest apple farms in the Ontario Province, JIS News observed the largest group of Jamaican workers encountered, so far, on the tour.

Their farm is remarkably different compared to the smaller ones, being equipped with certain facilities such as a gym, games area with a pool table, and a library with a computer, among other features.

One of the owners indicated that the workers purchased the machines for the gym, pointing out that they were allowed to do so on the condition that the equipment can be accessed by all employees.

Consequent on the significant number of workers on this farm, including females, they are transported to the fields in buses. Some have been transferred from neighboring farms which have closed for this part of the season.

Most of the activities observed on the farms include the reaping and packing of the various fruits. Planting was already done by previous groups of workers when the season began.

As the season progresses, the temperatures have largely gotten colder and workers were observed wearing winter gear, inclusive of jackets, sweaters, gloves and beanies (a small close-fitting hat), while in the fields.

They commented on the vagaries of the climate, with the members of one group musing that just days ago, they were sporting light clothing while outdoors.

Most persons, however, said they are now accustomed to the colder days, noting that by the time winter rolls in fully, they will be on their way back to Jamaica.

This is because the season for most crops is coming to an end, and work will soon be halted for the winter.

The seasonal agricultural work programme has been ongoing in Canada since 1966.