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Leamington, Ont., rallies behind migrant workers as 96 farm workers test positive for COVID-19
Jacob Barker
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news...
Two separate demonstrations took to the streets of Leamington, Ont., Saturday to bring attention to the situation of migrant workers in the area as large numbers of them test positive for COVID-19.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported 98 new cases of novel coronavirus in the area Sunday with 96 of them among farm workers. Three migrant workers have died in Ontario due to the virus and two of them were working in the Windsor-Essex County region.
In the morning, a caravan of vehicles drove past different farming facilities in the region, honking to show support to the workers and bring attention to the issues they are facing. The drive-by rally was organized by Justice for Migrant Workers.
"We want them to know we recognize them as essential workers and they're important to us and our community," said organizer Elizabeth Ha.
"We see their working conditions [and] how they're living and we hope that with the number of people that came out that the government will do something to protect the workers instead of having them shipped back in body bags."
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March for Migrant Workers' Rights
A second march that began in downtown Leamington made its way to the front of the Lakeside Produce facility where it was met by security.
The group was asking for mandatory testing.
"They're saying no [to testing] because they know that if they test positive, they're going to be sent back to Mexico," organizer Mary-Catherine Croshaw said.
"They need to have job security and they need to have CERB, that you and me are entitled to."
The group also called for better living conditions for workers.
"There's multiple, like 10 to 12 people, living in one house and, like, six men living in one room and they're all sharing a washroom," Vanessa Gaspar said. "How are we supposed to stop the spread of that if they can't have proper housing?".............
Artikle: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news...
