Articles

Quebec’s New Immigration Reality

July 2026 marks another significant shift in Canada's immigration system. While federal and Quebec governments present these measures as administrative reforms, they reflect a broader political and economic strategy: managing migration primarily according to labour market needs while imposing tighter controls on temporary migrants, refugee claimants and international students. Although many of the new measures apply across Canada, their impact will be particularly significant in Quebec, where debates over immigration... Read more →

20,000 Workers Ignite the Streets of Montreal

Last Saturday, the Immigrant Workers Centre joined a massive demonstration in downtown Montreal, where more than 20,000 workers from unions and community organizations took to the streets for International Workers Day. The march brought together unions, social movements, and students in a clear show of resistance against worsening working conditions and attacks on social rights. Participants raised strong demands for better wages, stronger protections, and the defense of public services.... Read more →

May Day in Montreal Not a celebration but a call to fight

Last Friday, dozens of migrant workers and their allies gathered at Metro Parc in Montreal to mark May Day with a clear spirit of resistance. This was not a celebration, but a moment to organize and push back against exploitation, wage theft, racism, and deportations. The gathering drew inspiration from the legacy of Affaire de Haymarket, reminding everyone that workers’ rights were never given but won through struggle. The chants... Read more →

Quebec 257 dead. 43 in Montreal. A system that kills.

In front of the CNESST offices in Montreal, workers’ voices filled the space. We gathered there, as the Immigrant Workers Centre, alongside UTTAM, CSN Construction, and the Alliance syndicale de la construction. We did not come only to lay flowers or recall names. We came to say clearly that these deaths are not fate. They are the result of a system. In 2025, 257 workers were killed on the job... Read more →

A Life Lost to the Cold: Park Extension Mourns Manjeet Singh

Park Extension, Montreal April 7, 2026 By Gaurav Sharma In a deeply emotional gathering at the Park Extension borough office, community members and organizations came together on Tuesday to mourn the tragic loss of Manjeet Singh, a man whose quiet struggle ended alone in the bitter cold of a Canadian winter. Mr. Singh was found in a park this past January, having succumbed to extreme freezing temperatures. He died not... Read more →

March 21 Is Not Just a Commemoration, It Is an Ongoing Struggle

On March 21, hundreds took to the streets of Montreal in a powerful demonstration for justice for all migrants. This was not a symbolic gathering but a living expression of broad solidarity bringing together students, housing groups, unions, precarious migrant workers, temporary foreign workers, asylum seekers, and those resisting deportations. Notre manifestation du 21 mars This mobilization took place on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a... Read more →

Quebec rises to defend lives not paperwork

On Saturday February 7 the cities of Montreal Quebec City Sherbrooke Saguenay Gatineau Trois Rivières and Rimouski witnessed a broad wave of protests demanding the restoration of the Quebec Experience Program QEP. In freezing cold that the government may have hoped would silence dissent the streets were filled with people anger and determination. These demonstrations were not numbers or passing crowds but a collective outcry against a policy that treats... Read more →

From Alarm to Organization. A General Assembly Confronting Anti Migrant Laws

Last Friday, February 6th, the Immigrant Workers Center held a large general assembly for worker members. The meeting was dedicated to discussing a central and pressing question: how can we organize ourselves in the current context to confront the escalating assault on the rights of workers and migrants? This meeting came at a critical political juncture, marked by a proliferation of anti-immigrant laws, both recently enacted and still under consideration,... Read more →

From Awareness to Action: Standing with Immigrant Workers Against Injustice

Last Thursday, February 5, the Immigrant Workers Centre of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean took part in a powerful political and educational activity organized within the framework of International Development Week (IDW), following an invitation from the Centre de solidarité internationale du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (CSI-SLSJ). Representing the Centre, Alonso Rivera Carcamo, Community Organizer in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, participated in this collective space of resistance and reflection facilitated by Pia Cerda, Project Officer for Latin America... Read more →

ICE Out: Against Fascism and State Violence I prefer this response

On Sunday, February 1, 2026, hundreds of people took to the streets of Montreal to confront the violence and terror unleashed by United States immigration enforcement and the Trump regime. In front of the US Consulate, the ICE OUT of Minnesota demonstration erupted in fierce solidarity with the people of Minnesota and in unambiguous resistance to fascist state repression. This rally was a collective denunciation of the deadly power of... Read more →

Permits That Bind How Control Is Disguised as Policy

The press conference held by the Immigrant Workers Centre in Montreal on January 23 2026 was not a brief protest action. It was a collective testimony to an immigration and labour system that produces precarity and then evades responsibility. At a time when the federal government and the Quebec government have since 2024 been racing to tighten restrictions and reduce the number of migrants migrant workers found themselves facing the... Read more →

United voices in Montreal against Bill 21 A demonstration in defense of rights and freedoms

On January 17 hundreds of residents community organizations and advocates gathered in Montreal to protest Bill 21 adopted by the Quebec government in 2019. The demonstration renewed public discussion on the law’s impact on fundamental freedoms and on the communities most affected particularly Muslim women. Participants emphasized that Bill 21 is not merely a theoretical debate about secularism but a policy with real consequences for people working in essential sectors... Read more →

Plan 2026 A Government Trading in Lives

This is not just the title of a study published by the Immigration Legal Analysis Institute CILA. It names a historical moment lived by tens of thousands of migrant workers and students in Quebec. The study shows how the rhetoric of “receiving capacity” is weaponized to strip people of stability and dignity, turning immigration into a factory of precarity. At the Immigrant Workers Centre, we do not publish the full... Read more →

Bill C12 and the Manufactured Crisis of Migration

The federal government claims it is restoring balance to the immigration system. In reality it is dismantling pathways that thousands of migrant workers refugees and international students relied on in good faith. Bill C12 now moving toward Senate review is not an administrative adjustment. It is a political decision to make life more precarious for people who already carry the heaviest burdens of this economy. Ottawa has announced its intention... Read more →

Migrant rights at risk a legal workshop in Parc Extension

On December six, an information workshop was held in Parc Extension to explain the humanitarian and compassionate application process, amid recent legal changes affecting migrant and undocumented communities. The workshop was organized by the Centre for Migrant Justice, in collaboration with Bric O Brac in Parc Extension and the Immigrant Workers Centre. More than twenty five residents from the neighbourhood took part. Participants received detailed information on the requirements for... Read more →

New study exposes the hidden reality faced by women without status

The Immigrant Workers Centre has released a new study by its Women’s Committee that sheds light on the harsh and often abusive conditions experienced by women without legal status in Québec. The research, based on seventy five participants with three excluded for methodological reasons, documents widespread physical and psychological violence as well as serious threats to health and basic rights. Lack of legal status emerges as a central factor shaping... Read more →

Montreal rising marks a turning point in the workers struggle

Montreal witnessed a massive mobilization today, with over fifty thousand people in the streets, possibly nearing one hundred thousand, in one of the largest inter union demonstrations in recent years. At the heart of this moment stood the migrant justice contingent, including the Immigrant Workers Centre and Solidarity Across Borders, affirming that the fight for migrant rights is inseparable from the broader struggle of the working class in Quebec. Major... Read more →

Black Friday nightmare exposes Amazon s real treatment of workers

The experience of Andy Remarais at the YUL5 sorting center cannot be understood without looking at one of the harshest moments inside Amazon warehouses. This is the Black Friday period. During these weeks pressure explodes. Package volume doubles. Trucks arrive and leave constantly. Workers become tools pushed to maintain an impossible pace that wears their bodies down. At first Andy believed he had joined a modern company that respected the... Read more →

Four Years After the “Reform,” the Struggle Continues!

Today, October 6, 2025, we took to the streets. Not to celebrate an anniversary, but to denounce a betrayal. Four years ago, the so-called law “modernizing” occupational health and safety came into force. It was supposed to strengthen prevention of workplace injuries, but in reality it opened the door to a serious rollback of our rights, leaving thousands of workers more vulnerable than ever. A Government Above Its Own Laws... Read more →

Together Against Bill C-2: Justice and Dignity for All

Montreal, September 5, 2025— On Friday evening, the Clinic for Migrant Justice was filled with voices of resistance and determination. Dozens of organizations, community members, and allies came together under the banner of Our Common Front to confront one of the most dangerous threats to immigrant, refugee, and workers’ rights in recent years: Bill C-2. A Canada of Exclusion or a Canada of Dignity? Bill C-2 is not a technical... Read more →
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Migrant Workers: Exploited, Then Abandoned

By Kader Belaouni In recent days, the leader of the Quebec Party made deeply troubling remarks linking immigration to crime—a familiar but dangerous strategy in the playbook of right-wing politics. This tactic is not new. It seeks to construct the image of the immigrant as a threat, laying the groundwork for their exclusion and criminalization. Yet the data speaks clearly: immigrants do not commit more crimes than native-born citizens. In... Read more →

Sixteen Years of Silent Service: Inside the Migrant Workers Center

By Kader Belaouni After sixteen years of dedicated service and a week of reflection away from work, I feel compelled to break my silence about the Migrant Workers Center—a place that has shaped not only my understanding of justice but also my commitment to defending those who have no voice. As a blind person, my perception of this center has been formed not by what I see, but by what... Read more →

Scapegoating Migrants Won’t Solve a Systemic Crisis

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s call for a “very hard cap” on immigration is both misleading and harmful. Blaming newcomers for housing shortages and youth unemployment serves to distract from the real culprits: decades of neoliberal economic policy and an unregulated housing market dominated by speculative interests. The crisis is not about too many people—it’s about a system built to serve profits, not people. Migrant workers are not causing the housing... Read more →

Quebec Tightens Economic Immigration Criteria: What It Means for Migrant Workers and Students

n late 2024, the Quebec government announced major revisions to its economic immigration programs, aiming to reduce overall immigration numbers and prioritize applicants with strong French language skills. Key Changes Temporary suspension of PRTQ and PEQ–Diploma: From October 31, 2024, until June 30, 2025, Quebec has paused invitations under the Regular Skilled Worker Program (PRTQ, soon to be PSTQ) and direct admissions under the PEQ–Diploma stream. Higher French requirements: Applicants... Read more →

HEATWAVES, WORKERS’ RIGHTS & RESOURCES

Means of prevention for workers - Adjust your work pace according to your acclimatization to the heat and climatic conditions (e.g.: heat, humidity, sunshine) - Take breaks (every hour, and of an appropriate length depending on the temperature) in the shade or in a cool place - Drink at least one glass of fresh water every 20 minutes, or more frequently, even if you do not feel thirsty, as indicated... Read more →

No Refuge in Fortress Canada: On World Refugee Day, We Refuse Hypocrisy

Today, as politicians in Ottawa issue hollow statements about “welcoming refugees” and celebrating Canada’s “humanitarian values,” we at the Immigrant Workers Centre refuse to join in their hypocrisy. World Refugee Day is not a celebration—it is a moment of mourning and rage. While the government waves its diversity flag abroad, it continues to build a fortress at home. This year, the new government of Prime Minister Mark Carney—a former banker... Read more →

Quebec Declares War on Workers: IWC Denounces Anti-Labour Bill 89

89 as an outright attack on working-class power and a gift to corporate bosses. Passed in defiance of mass opposition, this legislation criminalizes collective resistance, muzzles strike action, and threatens every worker’s basic human right to organize and fight back. “This is class warfare. Bill 89 isn’t reform — it’s repression,” said Mustafa Hanawi, community organizer with the IWC. “Immigrant and precarious workers are being pushed further into silence, exploitation,... Read more →

Mass Protest Shuts Down CANSEC Over Israel-Gaza Genocide Allegations

Ottawa,  Hundreds of demonstrators have blocked access to CANSEC, North America’s largest weapons and military technology expo, in protest against what they call Canadian complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The protesters gathered early this morning at the entrances of the EY Centre in Ottawa, confronting delegates from Canadian and Israeli arms companies and military officials. Their message: end the arms trade that enables mass atrocities. Among the demonstrators... Read more →

A Tribute to Eric Shragge: A Legacy of Service and Compassion

After more than two decades of unwavering dedication to migrant workers and their families, Eric Shragge is stepping down from his role as head of our center, marking the end of an era defined by compassion, professionalism, and selfless service. Professor Shragge brought to our center not only his academic credentials from Concord University but also a heart deeply committed to social justice and human dignity. For 25 years, he... Read more →

The Hidden Barriers: Employment Struggles of the Blind Community

By Kader Belaouni Despite remarkable advances in assistive technology—from sophisticated screen readers to AI-powered navigation apps—blind individuals continue to face profound employment barriers that technology alone cannot resolve. The Job Search Challenge Employment begins with inaccessible online job portals featuring image-based CAPTCHA systems and poorly coded websites that screen readers cannot interpret. Video interviews present additional challenges when employers expect eye contact and visual cues, while many companies fail to... Read more →

Labor Day: Between Celebration and Hardship

BY Kader Belaouni Labor Day comes this year amid harsh economic realities facing workers across various sectors. Despite the importance of celebrating this occasion that symbolizes workers' struggles throughout history, current living conditions cast a shadow over the joy of this day. Workers today face numerous challenges, particularly the continuous rise in prices of essential goods, which reduces the purchasing power of wages that are no longer sufficient to provide... Read more →

Canada Tightens Open Work Permits for Families of International Students and Workers

Starting January 21, 2025, Canada will significantly limit open work permits (OWPs) for family members of international students and temporary foreign workers. Key Changes for International Students’ Families Only spouses of students in specific programs will qualify for OWPs, including: Master’s programs lasting 16+ months Doctoral programs Select professional programs (e.g., Medicine, Law, Engineering) Previously, spouses of students in various programs, including shorter master’s degrees, were eligible. New Rules for... Read more →

Quebec court gives green light to explosive class action against abusive work permits.

In a landmark victory for workers' rights, the Quebec Superior Court has approved a lawsuit denouncing the exploitative system of closed work permits in Canada. Temporary foreign workers, bound by contracts to specific employers, are fighting against conditions that trample on their most fundamental rights. Led by the Domestic and Agricultural Workers Rights Association, the case alleges widespread Charter violations, including widespread abuse, underpayment and harassment. This legal battle could... Read more →

Quebec Court Greenlights Explosive Class Action Against Abusive Work Permits

In a historic win for workers' rights, Quebec’s Superior Court has approved a lawsuit exposing Canada’s exploitative system of closed work permits. Temporary foreign workers, trapped under contracts with specific employers, are fighting back against conditions that trample on their most basic rights. Led by the Association for the Rights of Domestic and Agricultural Workers, the case alleges rampant violations of the Charter, including widespread abuse, underpayment, and harassment. This... Read more →

A limited program, widespread anger

By Carole Yerochewski In an interview with CBC and Reuters, Marc Miller announced some distressing news in the middle of summer, when it's hard to mobilize large numbers to protest: the Liberal government is backing down in the face of rising anti-immigrant rhetoric, and is expected to examine a minimal regularization program, which will only concern workers in the health and construction sectors. We'll have to wait for Marc Miller's... Read more →

Revision of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program: A Human Rights Priority

Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), essential for addressing labor shortages, has significant human rights shortcomings. A recent report by Le Devoir highlights the urgent need to reform this program to prioritize human rights. Working Conditions and Workers' Rights Temporary foreign workers (TFWs) often face poor working conditions, including excessive hours, low wages, and lack of healthcare access. Their precarious status makes them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, with a... Read more →

Ensuring Fair Treatment: The Reality of Foreign Worker Programs in Canada

In a nation priding itself on fairness and inclusivity, recent revelations regarding violations within Canada's temporary foreign worker programs have sparked concern. The federal government's crackdown on nearly 200 companies for infractions ranging from wage theft to workplace abuse underscores the urgent need for greater oversight and accountability. According to The Globe and Mail, last year, Ottawa imposed record fines totaling $2.7 million, reflecting a firm stance against exploitation in... Read more →

PRESS RELEASE | Health and Safety: the rights of a majority of employees poorly protected in Quebec

Camille Legault Thuot Montreal, February 29, 2024 - A survey conducted by IRIS and published today shows that the Quebec occupational health and safety regime is perpetuates the vulnerability of non-unionized workers, who represent nearly 60% of workers in Quebec. According to Mathieu Charbonneau, associate researcher at IRIS and author of the study, "the Act to modernize the occupational health and safety system adopted in 2021 will not provide satisfactory... Read more →

Public Sector Workers in Quebec Announce Another Week-long Strike Amidst Stalled Negotiations

Front Commun, Representing Over 400,000 Workers, Declares Strike from Dec. 8-14 By Taqwa Mohamed-Mahdi In a show of collective strength, hundreds of thousands of public sector workers in Quebec are gearing up for a week-long strike in December as contract negotiations with the provincial government hit an impasse. The Front Commun, a coalition of four major public sector unions representing around 420,000 members in health, education, and social services, made... Read more →

The IWC opposes the restrictive immigration policies in Quebec

On September 12, 2023, the Immigrant Workers Centre took part in the public hearings concerning immigration planning in Quebec for the period 2024-2027.  The IWC's intervention began with the testimony of Grace Meyanwi Anye, member of the Women's Committee, who presented the concrete impacts of restrictive migration policies on the lives of migrants. Then, three organizers shared the floor to criticize the orientations proposed by the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ).... Read more →

Montrealers Rally Against Bill-31, Urging Protection of Tenant Rights

Thousands of Montrealers took to the streets of Parc Extension to protest against Bill-31, a new law proposed in Quebec that would make it more difficult for tenants to transfer leases. The demonstration, organized by the Comité d'action de Parc-Extension (CAPE), RCLALQ Droit Au Logement, and the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI), aimed to fight for housing rights and to denounce the Coalition Avenir Québec's (CAQ) efforts to abolish lease transfers.... Read more →

Striving for Equality: Ensuring Basic Labor Protections for Immigrant Workers in Québec

By: Isaac Patroulis Lessig In January, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced new guidelines to shield migrant workers “who experience or witness workplace labor or civil rights violations” from deportation or a loss of work status. The protective measure marks a positive step towards the empowerment of migrant workers in the country and should be seen as a win for workers everywhere. Similar protections for immigrant workers... Read more →

May Day: Confronting Inequality and Rising Expenses

On May 1st, in Montreal, we united in solidarity on the streets, to raise our voices against the escalating cost of living, which disproportionately affects the most vulnerable members of our society. As inflation soars, the wealthiest individuals and corporations exploit the situation, amassing even greater profits at the expense of the working class. Many workers face the harsh reality of stagnant wages amidst skyrocketing prices for essential goods and... Read more →

The Curfew: a dangerous hypocrisy for workers with precarious status

An open letter from the ATTAP Women's Committee - January 2021 Community groups have been saying it for almost a year now. Sanitary measures have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable or marginalized populations. Despite these denunciations from all sides, and while the Quebec Superior Court has just decreed the exemption of people experiencing homelessness from the curfew, the CAQ stubbornly maintains the curfew along with increased police surveillance... Read more →
walmart works cause we work

Warehouse Workers Commission Report and Launch

An evening of food, culture and testimonials Saturday, November 23, 2019, 4 pm - 6 pm Immigrant Workers Centre, 4755 Ave Van Horne Suite 110, Montréal https://www.facebook.com/events/2678167875566768/ The Immigrant Workers Centre would like to invite you to participate in the launch of our report which was based on a two-year investigation on the conditions faced by warehouse workers in Montreal. There will be an event on Saturday, November 23rd at... Read more →

Placement Agency Organizing at the IWC in 2018-2019

Over the past year, ATTAP has had three main priorities. Here, we will provide an overview of organizing activity which has taken place to advance those priorities.   Over the past year, the Immigrant Workers Centre has continued its efforts to organize workers who are employed via placement agency. The main organizing body that does this work is the Association des travailleuses-eurs temporaires et d’agences de placement (ATTAP), a branch... Read more →

Agency Workers Have the Right to Holiday Pay. Did you get yours?

Agency Workers Have the Right to Holiday Pay. Did you get yours? If you didn't receive your holiday pay on May 21st, June 24th, or July 1st, bring your pay stubs to 4755 Van Horne, Suite 110 (near Metro Plamondon), on July 6th at 3:30pm. The Temporary Agency Worker's Association can help you claim it. https://www.facebook.com/events/500870933314562

Help us Keep the Immigrant Workers Centre open

The Immigrant Workers Centre has experienced one of it busiest years as more and more courageous workers, sometimes without status, fighting for respect and protection against bosses, who believe that workplace abuse is justified particularly if the worker is a recent immigrant or someone without status. Staff and volunteers at the centre accompany workers in their fight back. For individuals with grievances, it takes many hours to prepare cases, do... Read more →

Family of Four cruelly deported yesterday in Montreal!

Family of four cruelly deported Immigration Canada rushed to expel family before agreement with US expired Link To photos from Rally on October 29th to stop the deportation of the Des Roy Family => //picasaweb.google.com/fgNewmail/NewAlbum301009241PM?feat=email#   Montreal, 29 October 2009 -- A family of four was deported this morning after a very painful parting from friends, community members and supporters. Early this... Read more →

Launch of the Temporary Agency Worker Association!

This past December 14th, A group of Temporary Placement Agency Workers raging from undocumented workers, from agency workers in hotels, day laborers working in greenhouses, to factory workers in distribution centres, to other where-house workers, and low wage workers In the health care sector came together to launch the Temporary Agency Worker Association.   The association aims to create a framework to campaign for the labour rights of agency workers.... Read more →

Justice for L’Amour textile workers!

The Struggle Continues: Support Picket with Immigrant Textile workers Justice for L'Amour textile workers!!! The Struggle Continues: Support Picket with Immigrant Textile workers :: Justice for L'Amour textile workers!!! ================== Monday July 14th, 2008 8:30am-9:30am 35 Port-Royal East. Port-Royal and St. Laurent. (metro Sauve)or 55 north from metro De castelnau get off at Port-Royal ================== On Monday July 14th, a group of textile workers once again will go in front... Read more →

Migrant Voices

Migrant Voices is a series of testimonies recorded in workshops organized by the IWC. In these segments, workers share their stories about their lives and struggles in their places of work. This project is part of the ongoing efforts of the IWC to help organize workers to defend their rights, and to raise awareness about im/migrant labour justice in Montreal. In these recordings, workers tell of their struggles for dignity... Read more →

The unbearable temporariness of being

The IWC Experience From temp agencies to temporary foreign workers, capitalism has renewed its offensive against the working people in an attempt to once again restructure work relations to serve the bottom line.  Tens of workers are arriving at our door each month with complaints varying from unjust dismissals, unpaid overtime, psychological harassment, CSST claims, collective dismissal cases, and unpaid wages. Now their troubles are exacerbated by the temporariness of... Read more →

Press Conference: stop fraudulent Temp agencies

URGENT! The Government must stop Temporary Workers Agencies and their clients' fraudulent practices The day after Radio-Canada's broadcast of the TV program, "Enquête", on October 21st 2010, Au bas de l'échelle and the Immigrant Workers Centre denounce the government's laxity that makes it possible for some agencies to systematically abuse workers who are most vulnerable. It is obvious, as demonstrated in "Enquête", that some Temporary Workers Agencies are enterprises of... Read more →

Pilgrimage to Freedom: Breaking the Chains of Indentureship Thanksgiving Weekend – October 10, 2010

Pilgrimage to Freedom: Breaking the Chains of Indentureship Thanksgiving Weekend - October 10, 2010 Support migrant workers and allies who will be marching from Leamington to Windsor, Ontario to call attention to the living and working conditions of migrant workers who grow and process our food this Thanksgiving. Migrant workers are marching to demand status, an end to exorbitant recruitment fees, better housing, safe working conditions and an end to... Read more →

Montréal International Women’s Conference set for August 13-16, 2010

Media Advisory, Montreal, Quebec, Friday, August 6, 2010 The first Montreal International Women’s Conference hosted by the Committee of Women of Diverse Origins is set to get underway August 13-16, 2010 in Montreal, Quebec. For close to a decade a group of Montreal-based women have been working tirelessly to improve women’s lives here and abroad. They are the Committee of Women of Diverse Origins, and as the name suggests, their... Read more →

Journee internationale des femmes 2010

FEMMES DE DIVERSES ORIGINES VOUS INVITE À DEUX ACTIVITÉS Samedi le 6 mars 2010 10h à 17h Rencontre "Retour aux sources" Présentations par les groupes-membres du réseau FDO-WDO - nos enjeux, défis, victoires (petites et grandes); avec présentations culturelles et déjeuner Lieu: CRAC, 6839, rue Drolet, Montréal, Québec (Métro Jean-Talon ou Beaubien) ___ Lundi, le 8 mars 2010 MANIFESTATION À MONTRÉAL Célébrons le centenaire de la Journée internationale des femmes... Read more →

Les travailleurs agricoles ne méritent pas notre respect

par Pierre-Louis Fortin-Legris Il est un lieu commun qui veut que le marché du travail soit un mutant. Transformations par-ci, mutations par-là. Le milieu agricole n’y échappe pas. Nos cornichons viennent d’Inde et nos terres sont labourées par des Guatémaltèques de passage qui, tels des cornichons, n’ont pas le droit de s’organiser collectivement. Depuis quelques années, les conditions de vie des travailleurs agricoles saisonniers font l’objet d’une attention soutenue de... Read more →

Laid-off employees take action

A St. Laurent company lauded by the provincial government for its treatment of minorities - and a recipient of nearly $124,000 in government assistance this year to hire, train and keep mainly immigrant workers - unexpectedly closed shop this fall. Now, the 50 employees who lost their jobs at the beginning of October when Cellulab Inc. shut down want Quebec to come to their aid. Backed by the Immigrant Workers'... Read more →

Travailleur Agricole

La Commission des relations du travail refuse d'entendre par visioconférence un travailleur agricole guatémaltèque Montréal (Québec), 8 octobre 2009 - La Commission des relations du travail, tribunal administratif chargé entre autres d'entendre les recours des travailleurs victimes de pratiques interdites, vient de refuser la demande d'un travailleur agricole migrant qui habite au Guatemala d'être entendu par visioconférence.La Commission des relations du travail refuse d'entendre par visioconférence un travailleur agricole guatémaltèque... Read more →

Support the Immigrant Workers Centre Become a monthly sustainer

Dear friend, It’s been nine years since the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC) first opened in Montreal. In those nine years, we have grown from strength to strength. Our modest office on Victoria Avenue in the heart of Côte-Des-Neiges hums with activity and intensity. Established in 2000 by immigrant workers and a few allies, we now work with over 700 immigrant workers each year. Monthly Donations Donate : $5.00CAD - monthlyDonate... Read more →

IWC Solidarity message to the workers of Triumph International in the Philippines and Thailand

September 16, 2009 We at the Immigrant Workers’ Centre in Montreal, Quebec would like to extend a message of support and solidarity to the workers of Triumph International Philippines and thailand, the Bagong Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Triumph International (New Unity of Workers in Triumph International-Philippines) and Triumph Labour Union Thailand in their denunciation of the unjust practices and treatment of workers by Triumph International in both countries. Under... Read more →

ALTERNATIVE MEDIA OPEN HOUSE in COTE-DES-NEIGES this WEDNESDAY!

Interested in community journalism? CKUT 90.3FM & the Dominion present ALTERNATIVE MEDIA OPEN HOUSE in COTE-DES-NEIGES! *************************************************************************** LOCATION: Nelson Mandela Park, with the Immigrant Workers Center (ave. Barclay & ave. Victoria, metro Plamond) TIME: 5:00pm-7:30pm DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 22th *Free food provided by Midnight Kitchen (more…)

IWC on Radio Show

CKUT in collaboration with IWC broadcasting community radio show from Nelson Mandela park (corner Victoria and Barcklay) THis Wednesday July 22nd, 2009 between 5:30 and 7:30! Come to support our community and delight on our free snacks!!!!

SUPPORT THE SHEIKH FAMILY.DETENTION REVIEW

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE SHEIKH FAMILY! DETENTION REVIEW, MONDAY, JULY 13 AT NOON. *********************** Monday, July 13, 2009 12PM Gathering 1PM Detention Review 200 Réné-Lévésque O. (metro Place-des-arts) *********************** IMMIGRATION CANADA DEPORTS THE PARENTS & LEAVES CHILDREN TO PICK UP THE PIECES OF THEIR DEVASTATED LIVES! Sabir Mohammed Sheikh and Seema Sheikh, originally from Karachi, Pakistan, were accepted as refugees in Canada in 2001. The Sheikh family of four... Read more →

Petition in support of Laid off Textile workers in Montreal!

Petition in support of Laid off Textile workers in Montreal! To our friends and allies of the Immigrant Workers Center. We are launching a petition as part of our campaign to seek real justice for laid off textile workers, who are mainly low-waged immigrant workers and in Montreal during this economic crisis. as they are being laid off in the thousands without any compensation or ability to pay the rent... Read more →

Manif d’information pour les travailleurs du textile mis à pied: dépannage pour les travailleurs, pas les patrons!Bail out the workers not the bosses!

Manif d’information pour les travailleurs du textile mis à pied: dépannage pour les travailleurs, pas les patrons! -----------> Vendredi Avril 24 à 3pm, Piquetage mobile à partir du coin de st. Laurent et de Louvain <---------- Comme la crise économique s'approfondit, le taux de chômage à Montreal en mars a presque approche le 9,3%. A Montreal l'industrie textile représente 55% pour cent de l'industrie des textiles canadienne. Il représente presque... Read more →

Crackdown is omen of worst things to come

The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) denounces the Canadian government in the strongest possible terms after its Canadian Border Services Agency rounded up and detained last week over 100 migrant workers considered illegal in Greater Toronto Area. The said raids, according to Canadian authorities, are a part of the three-month probe into illegal immigration after a more stringent immigration policy was imposed a few months ago. “The crackdown on our fellow... Read more →

Délai De Carence – Public Assembly in Parc-Extension

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 from 6:30pm - 8:30pm 419 rue Saint Roch, Room SS13 (métro Parc) The Immigrant Workers' Centre, along with Project Genesis and the Comité d'Action Parc Extension are hosting an event to educate people about community resources for new immigrants and temporary workers faced with barriers to health care. Come learn how to defend your rights and connect with differentorganizations in the community working together to change... Read more →

CTV Montreal – March For International Women’s Day

March for International Women's Day Updated: Sun Mar. 08 2009 6:39:44 PM Organizers for this year's march for International Women's Day are aiming to highlight a number of local and international issues. "Every year, we march down the streets of Montreal and assert our power to fight for our futures and demand justice for all. We take to the streets to celebrate and stand in solidarity with the daily struggles... Read more →

TAC-tical pressure

December 18th, 2008 Montreal's Tamil community instigates awareness campaign Stefan Christoff Montreal's Tamil community wants to raise awareness about the worsening conflict in Sri Lanka as well as protect Tamil refugee applicants in Canada who face deportation back to a war zone. In recent months, the Sri Lankan military has heightened aerial bombardments and military actions in areas home to the separatist Tamil Tigers, vowing to flush them out by... Read more →

Vigile de la communauté tamoule pour marquer la Journée internationale des droits de la personneTamil community to hold vigil on International Human Rights Day

Le vigile aura lieu le 10 décembre à compter de 11h, devant le Complexe Guy Favreau, 200, ouest boul. René-Lévesque. Pour attirer l'attention du public sur la crise humanitaire qui se déroule au Sri Lanka, les Tamouls de Montréal tiendront un vigile le 10 décembre, devant le Complexe Guy Favreau. On demandera au Gouvernement du Canada d'intervenir auprès du Gouvernement du Sri Lanka pour faire cesser les bombardements des populations... Read more →

Annual General Meeting- Sunday December 7, 2008

The Immigrant Workers' Centre Invites you to the centers' 9th annual general meeting. Over the past year, the center has been bustling with campaigns and victories. Please have a look around this website to learn more about our work with textile workers, domestic workers, victims of police brutality, those left out of the health care system and much more. This year we will be launching our membership drive. Please come... Read more →

CTI-IWC to mark International Human Rights Day 2008

Tamil press conference and vigil on International Human Rights Day in front of 200 Rene Levesque, Complex Guy Favreau, Montréal, Québec (Metro Place-des-Arts – green line or Metro Place d'Armes – orange line) December 10, 2008 11 am – 12 noon Public Forum on International Human Rights Day Speakers from the Tamil, Filipino and Palestinian communities will present on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Palestine.... Read more →

Justice for Immigrant Workers in Parc Extension!

Supper, Information Session, & Discussion ========================> Wednesday December 3rd 2008 5pm-8pm 419 st Roch Room SS17, Parc-X community Centre (metro parc) <======================== Are you an immigrant? A day labourer? Are you employed? Unemployed? Having trouble at work? Do you know somebody who is being deported? Come share your story with us! The Immigrant Workers Center, along with the Jobra Center, Himalaya Seniors, and the Comite d'Action Parc Extension are presenting... Read more →

Warning! Domestic work can be dangerous to your immigration status, health, safety and wallet!

Come to a community event to LAUNCH the results of a survey on the work conditions of domestic workers Entrance free Cultural presentation on the concrete experiences of caregivers When: Sunday, November 9, 2008, 15h00 to 18h00 Where: 6767 Cote-des-Neiges, Montreal Supper will be served, plus entertainment _____________________ P I N A Y Filipino Women’s Organization in Quebec Organisation des femmes Philippines du Québec 7595 Central Ave. Lasalle, Quebec H8P... Read more →

Montreal – Migrants and Refugees Speak-out!

This event is part of a world-wide response by migrant workers to counter the UN-sponsored Global Forum on Migration and Development to be held in Manila at the end of October 2008. Organized by the International Migrants Alliance - Canada Sunday, October 26, 2008 3pm - 6pm 6767 Cote-des-Neiges (Cote-des-Neiges Community Centre) Speakers: Tamil refugees, migrant farm workers, live-in caregivers and immigrant textile workers With cultural presentations, food and drink... Read more →

CTV Montreal Headline News: ‘Helping Immigrants’

Some of the most exploited people in the work force are immigrants and those hoping to gain citizenship here in Canada. Some people don't know what their rights are and when they do, some don't know where to turn.That's where the Immigrant Workers Centre steps in. Debra Arbec from CTV in Montreal looks at the work of the CTI-IWC on the show My Montreal. Watch the video at //montreal.ctv.ca/cfcf/video_popup?news_id=26583

QU’EST-CE QUE LA FRATERNITÉ DES POLICIERS DE MONTRÉAL TENTE DE CACHER?WHAT IS THE MONTREAL POLICE BROTHERHOOD TRYING TO HIDE?

La Ligue des Droits et Libertés et la Ligue des Noirs du Québec se joignent à la Coalition Justice pour Anas pour demander que l'enquête publique du coroner sur la mort de Anas Bennis, ordonnée en juin 2008, puisse avoir lieu comme prévu. Ils continuent d'exiger une enquête publique complète et indépendante sur la mort de Anas aux mains de la police de Montréal en décembre 2005. Montréal, 21 october... Read more →

Portraits of a Movement: Immigrant Workers Continue the Fight Against Unjust Dismissal

Montreal, October 8, 2008 - More than 60 former workers at a Montreal textile factory, Lamour Inc., are involved in a campaign for just compensation. Although the workers have been laid off in small groups, collectively, they believe these lay-offs should be considered collective and therefore they should be eligible for a substantial termination package. Many of them have been working for this company for more than 10 years, with... Read more →

Axed Lamour workers are still fighting for help – Montreal Gazette

Montreal, October 9, 2008 - The Immigrant Workers Centre went to bat again yesterday for the more than 500 Lamour Inc. textile workers who have lost jobs since 2006. Centre lawyer Alexandra Law and two of the affected employees met with a pair of aides for Employment Minister Sam Hamad at his office in Old Montreal during a noon-hour demonstration by about 60 of those workers and their supporters. The... Read more →

Rassemblement Pour Venir En Aide Au Travailleurs De L’usine de Textile L’Amour mercredi, le 8 octobre, 2008.What Textile Workers’ Want; Demonstration on Wednesday, October 8, 2008.

====================== mercredi, le 8 octobre, 2008 12:00 pm à 1:00 pm Ministre de L'emploi et de La Solidarité Sociale 800 rue Square Victoria (Métro Square-Victoria) ======================= Le lundi 8 octobre un groupe de travailleurs et travaileuses du textile va demonstrer leur solidarité devant la bureau de Ministre de L'emploi et de La Solidarité Sociale à 800 rue Square Victoria (Métro Square-Victoria) Les travailleurs de l'usine l'Amour n'ont pas reçu aucune... Read more →

Lancement de International Migrants’ Alliance au CanadaLaunch of International Migrants’ Alliance in Canada

Chers ami-e-s, travailleurs et travailleuses migrants, militant-e-s pour les droits sociaux, Lancement de l'Alliance internationale des migrants - section Québec/Canada! Vous êtes tous et toutes invité-e-s au lancement de l'Alliance internationale des migrants - section Québec/Canada! Quand:   Samedi le 4 october 15h à 18h OU:        UQAM, Pavillon Hubert Aquin salle A050 400, Ste-Catherine est, coin St-Denis, Métro Berri, Montréal, Québec Conférencière: Wahu Kaara de Kenya Rapport des groupes ayant participé... Read more →

Ex-workers challenge Lamour

Ex-workers challenge Lamour Want compensation. Also allege union failed in duties to members MIKE KING The Gazette Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Lamour Inc., a 55-year-old Montreal clothing manufacturer with 2,500 employees worldwide, is being challenged by about 20 workers from its local factory who lost their jobs last year. Claiming they were “unceremoniously laid off” at the end of September, the group is demanding fair compensation for their years of... Read more →

Statement by the l’Amour Workers Campaign Committee

Montréal,  Québec, Canada — We are a group of former workers of the apparel company, Lamour Inc. We were unceremoniously laid off in 2007. In the photo illustrating this blog, you can see some of us with our supporters during an rally we held earlier this year on a freezing cold winter day. As you can see, we did not let a little icy Montréal weather get in the way... Read more →