BC Farmworker Safety: The Birth of a New Union, Video, 2017
Dire working conditions and unfair treatment fueled a movement to advocate for BC farmworkers’ rights in the 1970s, soon becoming the Canadian Farmworkers Union, a first in Canada.
This 10-minute video traces the historical shift from Indigenous food production to large scale commercial farming in BC. As the farming industry diversified in the mid-1970s agricultural labour was largely non-English speaking immigrants.
Safety knowledge and practices were severely lacking, with workers often exploited by poor conditions; lack of basic amenities like drinking water and toilets, and exposure to harmful chemicals without protection. Farmworkers were not covered under health and safety regulations or employment standards acts, leaving them extremely vulnerable.
The video explains the reasons for the formation of the Farmworkers Organizing Committee in 1979, becoming the Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU) in 1980, with Raj Chouhan as President. The union took its inspiration from the United Farm Workers in California, led by Cesar Chavez, who played a personal role beside Chouhan in the CFU’s organizing campaigns.
The CFU played a crucial role in bringing farmworker issues to public and government attention. The video acknowledges some important achievements:
● Legislative changes ensuring Employment Standards and Workers Compensation Acts govern farmworkers.
● Establishment of the Farm and Ranch Safety and Health Association (FARSHA) to help the industry comply with regulations and promote farm safety.
While conditions are safer today, continuous efforts are needed.The journey is described as a story of both sadness and success, emphasizing the importance of continued advocacy.
This video was produced by WorkSafeBC for the BC Labour Heritage Centre
.