A Money Saver. Only Report Half Of The Injuries.?

On July 2 the Toronto Star ran an article which focused on the plight of immigrant farm workers in Ontario. They come mostly from Mexico and Caribbean countries through the Seasonal Worker Program. Officially they are covered by health and safety laws and are eligible for workers compensation if injured on the job, which sounds fine, except that research conducted by Wilfred Laurier University shows a discrepancy of about 50 per cent between those injured and those reported. This is because the employers, who are responsible for reporting accidents, are fearful it will increase their premiums with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

 Since the workers rely on their bosses for transportation and translation, its hard for them to independently seek medical care and advice. So in the end it all boils down to money - and not the workers’ share.

S.P.C.Members.