Farm Workers in Western Canada: Injustices and Activism

by Michael J. Broadway (Contributor), Jill Bucklaschuk (Contributor), Delna Contractor (Contributor)

Bill 6, the government of Alberta's contentious farm workers' safety legislation, sparked public debate as no other legislation has done in recent years. The Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act provides a right to work safely and a compensation system for those killed or injured at work, similar to other provinces. In nine essays, contributors to Farm Workers in Western Canada place this legislation in context. They look at the origins, work conditions, and precarious lives of farm workers in terms of larger historical forces such as colonialism, land rights, and racism. They also examine how the rights and privileges of farm workers, including seasonal and temporary foreign workers, conflict with those of their employers, and reveal the barriers many face by being excluded from most statutory employment laws, sometimes in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Gianna Argento, Bob Barnetson, Michael J. Broadway, Jill Bucklaschuk, Delna Contractor, Darlene A. Dunlop, Brynna Hambly (Takasugi), Zane Hamm, Paul Kennett, Jennifer Koshan, C.F. Andrew Lau, J. Graham Martinelli, Shirley A. McDonald, Robin C. McIntyre, Nelson Medeiros, Kerry Preibisch, Heidi Rolfe, Patricia Tomic, Ricardo Trumper, and Kay Elizabeth Turner.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2016

Reviews

[Alberta Views Magazine]

When the NDP government first introduced basic legal protections for farm and ranch workers, opponents predicted Alberta would turn into a “socialist Disneyland.” Farm Workers in Western Canada offers some refreshingly sober perspective on Bill 6, the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act. When Bill 6 became law on January 1, 2016, farm workers in Alberta finally gained the right to refuse unsafe work. Paid farm workers who are injured or killed on the job must now be covered by the Workers’ Compensation Board. The nine essays in this volume show how dynamics such as global agribusiness concentration have made meat processors and farm workers vulnerable to low-wage, unhealthy and dangerous jobs. This timely book thus underscores why legislated worker rights are crucial....

Review by Anelyse Weiler
Full review at https://albertaviews.ca/farm-workers/

[Anelyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the NDP government first introduced basic legal protections for farm and ranch workers, opponents predicted Alberta would turn into a "socialist Disneyland."

My review of this excellent book is in Alberta Views Magazine: http://albertaviews.ca/farm-workers/

Some extra Alberta-specific points I couldn't fit in the review:
- The Alberta government did a poor job of communicating and consulting re: Bill 6. They struggled to clearly explain what they were doing (e.g. whether the legislation would apply to family members and neighbours), and why it was important. It makes sense that many people were frustrated with this process.

- Some policy analysts have suggested that public servants quietly dedicated to the old Progressive Conservative regime exacerbated the NDP's poor public communications strategy.

- Introducing mandatory coverage under a no-fault insurance scheme not only helps hired farm workers who are killed or injured on the job, but it also protects farmers from lawsuits.