Labour minister on trip to meet with Canadian farmwork stakeholders
- KAT the Writer
- Oct 24, 2023
- 3 min read
KINGSTON, Jamaica— Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr is currently on a trip to Canada to observer the farmwork programme, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
The minister, along with members of his delegation in addition to members of the Canadian Management Committee and the Jamaican Liaison Service visited a total of three farms on Monday and met with 362 workers, 51 of which were women.
The farms visited so far are Komenski, Schuyler and Nightingale.
“His first visit was with the workers from Komenski Farm who are preparing to return to Jamaica, as it is the end of their season. He then moved to the Schuyler Farm, where some 239 personnel are employed.
In sharing with the minister, they informed him that they were working on the best farm,” the statement read.
Farmworkers at this location have a recreation centre with several amenities including a library, gym, piano and pool table. They are also provided with a designated area where they have access to donated new clothing, which is made available to the workers free of cost.
Additionally, farmworkers on the Schuyler farm are served a catered lunch on most days, while some workers have laundry services including washing and folding provided by the employer free of cost. This employer has plans to increase production and has given his commitment to employ more Jamaicans for the 2024 season.
Minister Charles Jr referred to this farm as the "gold standard" for all farms.
The minister ended his first day with a visit to the Nightingale farm where some 75 farmworkers are employed.
In addressing the farmworkers who gave the minister quite a warm reception, he said, “Let me take this opportunity to commend you for your hard work and dedication. You are critical to this programme and serve as important ambassadors for Jamaica. I give you my commitment to do everything in my power to continue to advocate for your fair treatment and welfare and to address your concerns in a timely manner.”
During day one of his visit Minister Charles Jr also conducted meetings with about 21 employers and employer representatives, who hire a combined total of approximately 930 Jamaican workers in the Simcoe and Tillsonburg areas.
In meeting with the employers, the minister had an open discussion with them in which they shared their concerns about the programme, including workers going absent without leave (AWOL) which leads to the high cost of retraining and the poor attitude and work ethics of some of the farmworkers.
One employer told the minister, and the workers present, that the Jamaican farmworkers are a vital part of their business, and further stated that they would not be in business without the Jamaican workers. He added that they are valued members of the communities in Canada where they work.
Charles Jr reassured employers that their concerns would be addressed.
“This fact-finding trip has allowed me a first-hand look at the programme and based on my observations I will be implementing improved measures to address areas of concern to ensure that both the employers and employees concerns are addressed,” the minister said.
Earlier this year, Minister Charles carried out a probe into the conditions of farm workers following news reports of sub par conditions by Jamaican farmers in Ontario, Canada. The farm workers described their living and working conditions as inhumane and accused the Jamaican authorities of abandoning them.
However, following the investigation, the labour minister stated that he had received mainly positive reports from the overseas workers following the investigation which was resolved in August.
Minister Charles Jr and his delegation will return to the island later this week.
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