British Columbia Federation of Labour

Farmworkers in British Columbia are the losers after the Minister of Labour and the provincial government failed to act on important recommendations made by a Coroner's Jury.
Last December a Coroner's Jury made 18 comprehensive recommendations aimed at making farmworkers safer in the province. The recommendations covered everything from tire tread and highway improvements to vehicle inspection and enforcement.
"On almost every count where we could have brought in changes that would make farmworkers safer, the government rejected the recommendations," says Federation President Jim Sinclair.
The Jury recommendations followed a Coroner's inquest into the deaths of three farmworkers who were traveling in an unsafe, overloaded van that crashed on Highway 1 in Abbotsford in March 2007.
"The government rejected a crucial Jury recommendation that said the person who repairs a farm van should not also be in charge of doing the safety inspection on that vehicle. It's a clear conflict of interest that undermines the integrity of the inspection system. The RCMP called for the same change, but the government rejected this important recommendation."
"When we saw the Coroners Jury recommendations our hopes were raised that the legacy of these woman would be improved safety for those traveling to and from the fields," said Jim Sayre of the Community Legal Assistance Society and the lawyer who represented the families of the three women killed in the van crash. "Now that we see the government's response, our hopes have been dashed. They systematically rejected or side stepped every significant recommendation."
"The government needs to understand that they represent farmworkers, not just farm owners," Sinclair added. "Farmworkers are no safer today, unfortunately."
For more information:
Evan Stewart, BC Federation of Labour, (604) 430-1421
Jim Sayre, Community Legal Assistance Society (604) 685-3425