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Canadian Farmworkers Union Collection

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: 1974 - Concluding Submission of the BC Federation of Labour to the Standing Committee on Labour and Justice; At the provincial BC government public hearings tour this submission called for the inclusion of domestic and farm workers under provincial labour laws and employment standard legislations. Mentions an Ontario group called the Migrant Farm Workers Association. Details United Farm Workers of America Union (UFWU) collective bargaining benefits in California. Recounts the May 30, 1974 Chilliwack migrant hopyards farmworker death in a transport van accident in Chilliwack, BC. At hearings growers admit to child labour during harvest. Also notes that labour rights are extended to Portuguese and Caribbean migrant off-shore labour but not to BC resident workers. See the BC governments April 10, 1975 final report attached to the FWOC's first brief titled 'Concerning Legislative Recommendations on Matters that Affect BC Farm Workers' and presented to the BC Minister of Labour on Feb. 22, 1980.

: Labour Advocay and Research Association : A History of Domestic Work; A brief historical overview of domestic workers from before Confederation to 1976. Part 1 of 4.

: Labour Advocay and Research Association : A History of Farm Work; An early historical overview of farm workers in BC province, including: from 1820's when First Nations worked farms at colonial outposts; late 1800s when Asian worked farms after the gold rush; up to early 1970s. Part 2 of 4.

: Labour Advocay and Research Association : Conditions of Domestic Work; Three testimonies written anonymously by domestic workers about their working lives. Part 3 of 4.

: Labour Advocay and Research Association : Conditions of Farm Work; The narrative is based on a women farm worker's oral account as a new immigrant to BC province. During the mid-1970s, she describes working for four years as a farm worker in the Fraser Valley. The wages are low, the working conditions are difficult and there is a lack of government regulations. Part 4 of 4.

: Farm Workers Organizing Committee Membership Card; Farmworkers Organizing Committee (FWOC) Membership Card. FWOC was established in a room in the New Westminster library on Feb 26, 1979. The main objective was to expose the unjust working conditions for seasonal farmworkers in the Fraser Valley. FWOC's approach was to work with farmworkers, to lobby the government and to undertake public education.

: Farm Workers Organizing Committee meeting, circa 1979.; A FWOC public meeting during the first year of organizing. Circa 1979. FWOC President Raj Chouhan with clinched fist. “The main objective for the FWOC was to expose the conditions of farmwork for seasonal workers in the Fraser Valley. The approach was to work with farmworkers, to lobby the government and to undertake public education.” Membership fee was $2 and in one year achieved 700 members.

: Farm Workers Organizing Committee meeting, mostly attended by women farmworkers of the Fraser Valley, BC, circa 1979.; A FWOC public meeting during the first year of organizing. Circa 1979. “The main objective for the FWOC was to expose the conditions of farmwork for seasonal workers in the Fraser Valley. The approach was to work with farmworkers, to lobby the government and to undertake public education.” Membership fee was $2 and in one year achieved 700 members.

: Farm Workers Organizing Committee Founding Meeting - Wangar Vol.3 No.1; Founding of the FWOC. Wangar is IPANA's punjabi newspaper published in Vancouver. IPANA also published an english newspaper internationally for the diaspora.

: Farm Workers Organizing Committee first public meeting at the Carpenters Hall, New Westminster, BC, April 8, 1979.; FWOC membership fee was $2 and in one year achieved 700 members. “The main objective for the FWOC was to expose the conditions of farmwork for seasonal workers in the Fraser Valley. The approach was to work with farmworkers, to lobby the government and to undertake public education.” Membership fee was $2 and in one year achieved 700 members.

: Farmworkers of BC - Watno Dur Magazine Vol.7 No.70 & 71; Article titled 'Farmworkers of BC' describes the exploitation of farmworkers by the labour contractors, who mainly come from the Indo-Canadian Punjabi community like the workers themselves. It also describes the attitude of the government towards these workers. The article introduces and praises the Farm Workers Organizing Committee, which was formed two months before the article was written. The article is written by the editor of the Watno Dur magazine Sadhu Binning.

: Farm Workers Organizing Committee rally, Mission, BC, May 13 1979. FWOC President Raj Chouhan holds sign End Legislative Discrimination Against Farm Workers.; FWOC’s second public meeting in Mission, BC.

: Farm Workers Organizing Committee rally, Mission, BC, May 13, 1979. Down with the Contract System.; FWOC’s second public meeting in Mission, BC.

: Child in the fields during strawberry harvesting, Fraser Valley, BC. Circa late 1970s.; Fraser Valley, BC. Indo-Canadian strawberry pickers with young child harvesting in the fields. Circa late 1970s.

: Labour Contractor's van transports Indo-Canadian women farmworker to Fraser Valley, BC. Circa late 1970s.; Every year, thousands of Indo-Canadians are transported daily from South Vancouver to harvest berries and vegetables on Fraser Valley farms.

: Fraser Valley, BC. Farmworkers cabins.; Fraser Valley, BC. Farmworkers cabins. Circa late 1970s.

: Child labour in the fields during strawberry harvesting, Fraser Valley, BC. Circa late 1970s.; Fraser Valley, BC. Indo-Canadian child labour in the fields during strawberry harvesting. Circa late 1970s.

: Child in the fields during strawberry harvesting, Fraser Valley, BC. Circa late 1970s.; Fraser Valley, BC. Indo-Canadian strawberry pickers with young child harvesting in the fields. Circa late 1970s.

: Child in the fields during strawberry harvesting, Fraser Valley, BC. Circa late 1970s.; Fraser Valley, BC. Indo-Canadian women strawberry picker with young child harvesting in the fields. Circa late 1970s.

: Fraser Valley, BC. Indo-Canadian women farmworker.; Fraser Valley, BC. Indo-Canadian women farmworker. Circa late 1970s.

: India Now Vol.2 No.5/6 - BC Farmworkers Move Forward; Monthly newspaper of IPANA features a front page story on the first public meeting of the Farmworkers Organizing Committee on April 8th, 1979 in New Westminster, BC. Reviews early FWOC activities including a May 6th picket during an annual parade in Mission, BC attended by provincial BC Premier Bill Bennett.

: Farm Workers Organizing Committee : Farmworkers' Conference; Announcing the third public meeting of the Farm Workers Organizing Committee, and the first meeting in Vancouver at David Thompson Secondary School. Speakers included: Raj Chouhan President FWOC; Jack Munro, President IWA Regional Council No 1; Ujjal Dosanjh, Chairperson of Labour Advocacy and Research Association. This double-sided leaflet has a print thru on the english side from the punjabi text.

: India Now Vol.2 No.7 - BC Farmworkers Continue Organizing Drive; Monthly newspaper of IPANA features a front page story on the second public meeting of the Farmworkers Organizing Committee on May 13, 1979 in Mission, BC. Also, includes newspaper editorial in support of FWOC and farm workers struggle.

: Mukhtiar Growers Ltd. Clearbrook, BC, July, 17, 1979. FWOC demonstration for back wages. Women farm workers take direct action.; Farm Workers Organizing Committee mobilizes its first direct action picket line with nearly 200 farmworkers at Mukhtiar Growers Ltd, Clearbrook, BC. The workers had not been paid their back wages for six weeks. “Contacted by some farmworkers who convinced others to stay out and with the support of FWOC members, Mukhtiar paid $80,000 in wages on the spot,” after two hours of negotiations. Workers went back to work after they received their cheques. The FWOC’s first major victory was reported in the local mainstream press and TV.

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