Date: 1979-11-01
Name(s): Christensen, Erling, Malcolmson, John
Description: A front page photo and center-spread feature article and about the FWOC's first year of activity. Describes a May 1977 Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union certification at a Peace River corporate farm.
Date: 1980-06-01
Description: Cover image is Cesar Chavez, President of United Farmworkers of America and Raj Chouhan President Canadian Farmworkers Union at a press conference in Vancouver. Article and photos highlight violent destruction to union member's homes and vehicles, and the union office.
Date: 1985-04-11
Name(s): Boal, Sarwan
Description: Focuses on the exclusion of farmworkers from the new provincial BC Health and Safety Regulations. Compares the stats of frequent RCMP road checks vs. infrequent WCB inspections and the stats of accidents and deaths on the road vs the job.
Date: 1983-02-17
Name(s): Paris, Charles
Description: Very important recognition of systemic legislative racism. Recommendations; all exclusions of farmworkers under provincial Employment Standards Act be removed; Industrial Camp Regulations implemented; protection from pesticides, including showers; also Domestic Workers;
Date: 1985-05-10
Name(s): Chouhan, Raj
Description: CFU responds to the new provincial BC Human Rights Council decision to reject the CFU's complaint that the provincial government is discriminating against ethnic farmworkers by not implementing safety regulations to protect workers. This new provincial Human Rights Council reverses tenor of former Human Rights Commision report 'What this country did to us it did to it's self'.
Date: 1985-01-01
Name(s): Chouhan, Raj
Description: Raj Chouhan's handwritten notes on changes to the provincial BC Labour Relations Act by the Social Credit government. Circa 1985.
Date: 1980-09-03
Name(s): Moore, J.A.
Description: CFU's third certification is granted as the bargaining agent for the employees at Bell Farm Ltd, Richmond. Workers approached CFU in August 1980. The grower did not protest the organizing drive of 10 workers. Bell Farms is a cranberry producer which markets its berries through 'Ocean Spray'. For the cranberry harvest, 6 weeks in late October-November, the grower had hired 25-30 workers.
Date: 1983-01-14
Name(s): Bell, Jack, Chouhan, Raj
Description: The second collective agreement between CFU Local 1 and Bell Farms Ltd of Richmond, BC was signed in December 1982 for two years. Wage rates increased 12% over one year, (1/1/83 $7.35-$9.15, average rate $8.65). See the 1980-1982 agreement for the first collective agreement representing farm workers in Canada. In February 1983 the cranberry farm was sold into parcels of land. CFU applied for 'successor status'. The CFU lost this decision at the provincial Labour Realtions Board of BC on…
Date: 1983-03-08
Name(s): Muldoon, Donald W.
Description: In February 1983, Bell Farms Ltd, a 240 acre cranberry operation, was sold into parcels of land. CFU applied for 'successor status'. The CFU lost this decision at the provincial Labour Realtions Board of BC on September 7, 1983. Also, attached are the letters from the growers lawyers.
Date: 1983-09-07
Description: In February 1983, Bell Farms Ltd, a 240 acre cranberry operation, was sold into parcels of land. CFU applied for 'successor status' on March 8, 1983. On September 7, 1983 the CFU lost this decision at the provincial Labour Realtions Board of BC. Also, attached is the dissenting opinion at BC LRB.
Date: 1984-11-08
Description: Bell Farms Ltd (CFU's first contract) 240 acres was sold and broken up into several smaller farms. The provincial BC LRB ruled that CFU retained successorship rights to Jagbar Farms 80 acres, but a new certification vote would be required at Columbia Farms. The CFU lost this vote on November 27, 1984.
Date: 1984-05-22
Description: The provincial BC LRB reversed its earlier decision of September 7, 1983 and granted the CFU successor status to Columbia Cranberry Company Ltd, and Jagbar Farms Ltd. The LRB did not recommend remediation at the time, and requested more hearings. A final decision was rendered on November 8, 1984, almost two years after the initial land sales from Bell Farms Ltd requiring new union certification votes.
Date: 1985-08-23
Description: The field department workers vote negative ten, and affirmative seven for CFU representation.
Date: 1985-08-15
Description: During the CFU organizing drive and two weeks after the workers meeting, a report concerning Berryland Food field workers being intimidated by the supervisor.
Date: 1985-08-23
Description: CFU leaflets distributed to Berryland field workers before the vote on CFU representation. Outlines the benefits of joining CFU, including job security, wages, and overtime.
