COMMENT: Help our farmers and seasonal farm workers
By Alex Atamanenko
It is the time of the year when farmers in the Southern Interior of British Columbia are making plans for the next season which includes securing labour. Many orchard and vineyard owners are placing ads in their local papers looking for full time farm workers for next year. Season duration and wages vary depending on the nature of farm work. Some are expected to start working as early as January or February and continue until November 2012 with an hourly wage of between $9.50 and $12.00 (as of May 1st, 2012 the minimum wage in BC will be $10.25/hour).
Ideally, all those jobs would go to the local population. However, if farmers do not receive enough applications locally, they have to apply for Labour Market Opinion (LMO) in order to apply for the Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program (Mexican and Caribbean temporary workers). Once farmers receive the positive Labour Market Opinion, they can contact foreign workers who then apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a work permit. Usually the employers do not have to provide a place to live for their employees unless they are farmers hiring temporary farm workers through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program.
There is another option for our farmers. They can wait until the last minute to see how many young farm workers will come from other parts of Canada, especially from Quebec, to join the local work force for the summer.
Whichever option farmers choose, other than hoping to find and hire as many workers locally as possible, they are burdened with additional worry and expense of securing the accommodation and on-farm sanitary facilities for their seasonal workers.
The BC Fruit Growers Association (BCFGA) passed two resolutions in 2010 (Sanitary Facility Funding and Accommodation Funding) in an attempt to secure financial support from the federal and provincial governments, but so far no assistance has been forthcoming. Meanwhile, we are witnessing meetings between municipal authorities, farmers and seasonal farm workers trying to resolve the perpetual issue – tending to the basic needs of workers without jeopardizing the farm operation or additionally taxing the farmers who are already taxed enough by the unfair trade agreements.
Certain communities have established camp grounds for farm workers and some are in the process of looking for accessible sites on Crown Land to create similar facilities. Unfortunately, our rural communities do not have public transit and campgrounds are far from the farms and downtown amenities. Workers often have to carpool or hitch-hike to get not only to and from the farm but also whenever they need anything from town.
Some fruit growers have a wide variety of fruit trees which extends their season and therefore, the need for seasonal workers and they do their best to provide the amenities. Others only plant one type of fruit and do not need workers for longer than a week. As a result, they find it a financial burden to have to invest in facilities for workers for this short period of time.
Both our federal and provincial governments have an opportunity to step up to the plate and work together to assist our farmers and their workers by creating guidelines and providing financial support to ensure the survival of our fruit industry.
Alex Atamanenko is the MP for BC Southern Interior.
