Migrant Justice Virtual Workshop

HSA MIGRANT JUSTICE WORKSHOP 

DATE: November 4, 2020
TIME: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
LOCATION: Virtual – WebEx details to follow

HSA is pleased to offer this one-day workshop facilitated by Byron Cruz, Sanctuary Health Collective and Migrant Rights Network.

It is estimated that there are now 70,000 people working under the Temporary Foreign Worker program here in British Columbia with an additional estimated 6,000 labouring under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program. Many of these workers experience exploitative conditions and exposures to a great number of occupational hazards without proper education or training in dealing with them. As such, the BCFED Health and Safety Centre has a designated program to try and empower and protect migrant workers in our province.

We don't know the exact number of migrant workers with precarious immigration status. Sanctuary Health and other organizations and groups work collaboratively to reduce barriers to access education, health care, Legal Aid etc. 

This workshop will explore the journey of migrants. Participants will learn about agricultural workers and COVID 19, the struggles of domestic workers, and tools used for organizing workers.  Participants will explore the Sanctuary City Principles and the importance of incorporating them into our groups and unions.

Facilitator biography
Byron Cruz arrived in Canada twenty-six years ago, fleeing persecution for resisting inequality and State violence in Guatemala.  While working as an Organizing and Outreach Coordinator for the BC Federation of Labour’s Occupational Health and Safety Centre’s Migrant Worker Program in Vancouver, he is also an active member of the Sanctuary Health Collective and Migrant Rights Network, a grassroots collective advocating universal access to healthcare, education, and social services. 
 
Byron has arranged a series of guest speakers
Alejandra Lopez Bravo     Vancouver Foundation
Christopher Sorio             Migrante BC
Alexandra Henao             Fuerza Migrante
Cenen Bagon                   Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers Rights

This workshop is open to all HSA members. Space is limited. 

Participants will receive wage replacement, and pre-approved dependent care costs for virtual workshops in accordance with HSA Policy.  Please note, no meal per diems will be provided.

To register for these workshops log into My Events Registration using the prompts provided. Workshops are listed under Other events.  Please call the HSA office at 604.517.0994 or 1.800.663.6119 if you do not know your HSA member ID number.