Musings


Visiting delegation has very positive interaction with orchard employers and workers.


T


he B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association helped organize and participated in the visit by a delegation from the Jamaican government to support and promote the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). The delegation was headed by the Jamaican Minister of Labour, and included representatives from the Jamaican recruitment office, board members that oversee the operation, and staff from the local Jamaican Liaison Service office. The delegation was in the Okanagan Aug. 18 and 19. We were able to have a general session in Kelowna, with presentations from Reg Ens, general manager of the the B.C. Agriculture Council, along with Pinder Dhaliwal, myself and Glen Lucas from the BCFGA, and Carol Reid of AgSafeBC.


B.C. industry representatives and growers were positive about the program, and Jamaica indicated the program is very important to the country and their workers, so they have expansion in mind.


A common message during the day from workers, employers, and the BCFGA was the important role of the Jamaican Liaison Service in making the program work, and the Jamaican Minister of Labour acknowledged that this role will help the program to operate well and expand.


The general session was followed by a tour.


We stopped at the B.C. Tree Fruit Cooperative cidery and fruit store, followed by a luncheon and a tour of an on-farm cherry line (unfortunately with the early season the cherry harvest and packing was completed), and a visit to a farm with about 75 Jamaican workers. The Jamaican delegation’s interaction with the employers and workers was very positive. We then watched the Olympic 200-metre race (winner Usain Bolt is a national hero in Jamaica), followed by a dinner hosted by the BCFGA.


The following day we toured the Oliver area, starting with a meeting with growers — about 20 attended — where


14 British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Fall 2016


By Fred Steele Jamaicans bolster SAWP support


the Jamaican liaison promoted the program generally and of course Jamaican workers. We then visited an on-farm packinghouse that was actively packing


peaches and nectarines. Interaction with Jamaican workers was again very positive.


Jamaicans speak English, of course, but between them a ‘patois’ is often spoken, which is an informal dialect that is interesting to listen to.


Farms that employ Jamaican SAWP workers have a mixture of Mexicans and Jamaicans. This is partly due to the history of the program. Mexico got off to an earlier start and growers have established a comfort level with Mexican workers.


Growers commented that all workers, whether Jamaican or Mexican, contribute to the farm and are thought of as part of the extended farm family. However, the difference is in the dealings with the Mexican consulate and Jamaican Liaison Service. The Mexican consulate does not invest as much time making sure the program operates smoothly.


It was noted that the round-trip cost of airfare for Caribbean workers was estimated by one grower to be about half that of Mexican round-trip.


Our BCFGA general manager, Glen Lucas, jested that he would no longer be accepting complaints about airfares from growers on the Mexican program, because there is an alternative! Several growers noted that they appreciated the work of Jamaican women in their packinghouses, due to their productivity and ability to do the work of grading cherries and soft fruit.


Overall, the BCFGA is pleased to support the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. Our general manager, along with Bunvir Nijjer, our corporate secretary who assists with the SAWP Program, and Ron Forrest, our labour orientation and safety training manager, all take an active interest in ensuring adequate labour for the industry and supporting the SAWP. In addition, Pinder Dhaliwal, our vice-president (also co-chair of both the provincial and national labour committees under BCAC and CHC, respectively) is dedicated to success of the program. It is very fulfilling to see the positive impact the program has for foreign workers, in their lives - sending children to school, starting up their own businesses, and supporting their extended families at home. The BCFGA is pleased to be part of the successful Caribbean and Mexican Seasonal Agricultural Worker Programs. — Fred Steele is president of the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association.


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