Las Huertas who do not pay lxs reapers

Fruit harvest in British Columbia: precarious employment

Whether in the Okanagan Valley or elsewhere, the world of fruit picking is unique and particularly difficult to manage for workers. Whether by car, hitchhiked, by plane or bus, each year hundreds of quebences and other people from other countries travel an amazing distance to make this precarious work.
Paid the amount of production, The recollection (o picking) It is a difficult job that consists of different aspects that affect our salary.

As our salary depends solely on our fast at work, we are dependent on the quality of work, maintenance of trees, the whims of Mother Nature or back to the quality of the organization of work in the garden (unfortunately often deficient ).
Besides having to submit to the harassment of the employer regarding our legal status, our nationality, sex, and sexual orientation through our appearance or our lifestyle, we exhaust ourselves working nonstop for several days (or nights) consecutive, saved in case of rain, no breaks in the harvest season.

Like most lxs pickers come from elsewhere, our quality of life while work is determined by the will of our employers, who are responsible for providing decent facilities and camps so it is very common that dozens (sometimes hundreds) workers have to share a small kitchen, chemical toilets just overflows, nasty showers and conditions generally unpleasant.

A nice, at the end of our contract work there is the possibility that our employer decides not to pay the hard work done.

The horror working conditions

I introduce myself: My name is Luciano and like every year for about ten years, trip to Western Canada last summer. Not for a summer trip or for making party, rather to begin work as soon as possible and try to win my life. In August return to work in an orchard where in the past he had worked. I had no problems, everything was going well. I was able to work on this farm instead of a more precarious farms garden as privileged: Dhaliwal, Smagh, OPL (Orchard Pro Logistic ) where lxs empleadxs are maltratadxs.

I arrived around Creston 20 of July 2017 to work on the contract Shukin Orchard Orchard in question, working 18 consecutive days before continuing my work path. At the end of our last day of work, Secretary pattern (Ken Shukin) give post-dated checks to algunxs of nosotrxs we should necessarily from the same day. I went for mine without even worrying about anything (because he trusted ellxs) and I went the same day towards Kelowna to get to my next contract starting the next day in the morning.

Some days passed before I deposit my checks into my bank account. It was only after a week I noticed that the check had been returned because he lacked funds. At first I did not take much importance: I said sure was a mistake in the bank, and that everything would be in order soon. But a second and a third week passed and nothing had changed. From the moment I started to call the employer (Ken Shukin) to see when it would be possible to have my pagá. I do not know how many voicemails, text messages and emails I left, but to date I have not received any call back or a message. Not even a hello or a pardon by the situation!!!

Salary not paid

The summer ended and I returned to Quebec. On my return to Quebec I wanted to make my application for me, unemployment insurance and I realized that I missed hours on my receipt. I wanted then contact the bookkeeper Shukin orchad, but again, I crashed into a wall, no response. Thanks to a friend who was responsible for the team where I worked for the company, I could claim a share of the hours they missed me, but so far the others are still missing me. Obviously no help from the unemployment insurance office. Where they were very contentxs of repeating that is my ,responsibility to see that my work hours were declared and ellxs could not do anything for me.

Today we are the 3 February, To over 5 months to end the contract with Shukin orchad, still I am waiting for my money. He still owes me several thousand dollars.

Because of this advantage-operator my plans changed drastically. I had to put aside my plans to find a financial solution. This has not only put me in a state of stress and difficult anciedad, do not know if I'll see my money, also broken my dreams to leave this precarious employment.

Knowing that my state is 'legal' ( because I have Canadian citizenship) I dare not imagine what my brothers and sisters all LA, immigrants, indocumentadxs injustices are suffering daily and have fewer resources than mios.Así is treated agricultural worker, exploited and then thrown when finished. one in my rage and fury is when I hear the words heads, and pays. I guess is a trauma!

If you decided to spread this story, It is not to get anyone's pity, but to get the information that is circulating. If there otrxs comrades who are in a nasty situation, I hope to do the same. We must talk about ellxs and denounce exploitative employers lxs Orchards British Columbia especially why Shukin Orchard is a very popular farm frequented by many people. Share this letter in your networks!

Solidaricémonos with all LA Anarchist comrades facing these abuses by the power of pattern. Together, We raise our voices, stop being exploited Let's pressure, react! Do not let anything happen quietly continue.
Only combat unionism can change our situation and put the pattern in place.

Rage and solidarity,

Luciano.

 

In French, In english.

Photo credit: www.publicdomainpictures.net