Mendez is the Executive Director of Migrant Workers Centre BC, a non-profit organization dedicated to legal advocacy for migrant workers in the province. In her role, she pushes for better working conditions, performs community outreach, and, together with a group of committed team members, runs the organization. She spoke with Goldbeck Recruiting about the importance of the Centre’s mission and the challenges that must be overcome.
The Plight of Migrant Workers in Canada
As Mendez explains, migrant workers who come to British Columbia are often put in situations where they face exploitation and abuse.
“They may work in industries where it’s difficult to recruit people locally,” she explains. “This includes agriculture, construction, the food industry, and the fishery. They are also dealing with precarious immigration status.”
Migrant workers often have closed work permits, which means that they may lose their work status if they leave a job. Many of these workers have sold their properties or taken out large loans in order to secure the services of shady organizations who facilitate their journey. Others are trafficked, and may not even know exactly why they are coming to Canada.
Lack of Awareness of Workers Rights
A key part of the problem is lack of knowledge about basic human rights on the part of the migrant workers. While these workers are technically protected by the same rights that all Canadian workers enjoy, this is not always the case in practice.
“Workers may be in rural, isolated areas and lack awareness about the law,” says Mendez. “They come from parts of the world where such laws either don’t exist, or are not followed. They don’t know that they can fight for their rights in Canada.”
Workers who leave their jobs will often be forced to work under the table, which only serves to make the situation worse.
The Migrant Centre combats this situation by providing legal services to migrant workers, and by educating them on their rights.
“We do a lot of advocacy and lobbying work, engaging with different levels of government,” says Mendez. “Along with many partners around the country, we fight to change the experience of migrant workers in Canada.”
Community Outreach Key to Success for Non-Profits
Mendez doesn’t believe that she can serve migrant workers effectively if she spends all of her time in the office.
“For me, being an Executive Director means being in touch with the communities you are supporting,” she says. “You need to make sure that you understand what the communities are going through, which involves a lot of outreach.”
To accomplish this, Mendez visits migrant workers at their places of work, experiencing first hand the housing and employment conditions they face.
“I ask them a lot of questions,” she says. “How are you feeling? How is your day going? How is work going? How can I support you better?”
She also takes a hands on approach to engaging other stakeholders in the organization.
“It’s important to feel heard,” she says. “If someone comes to me with a specific change that is needed, I act on it. I don’t say, ‘oh yeah, we’ll work on it’ and nothing happens.”
She says that the organization’s strategic plan also benefits from the inputs of a wide range of sources.
“The community, my co-workers, and the board of directors should all have a seat at the table,” she says.
Not for Profit Staffing Requires Heart, Passion, Commitment
Not only does Mendez reach out to community members for feedback, she works to include them in the organization’s staff.
“We try to hire people who have formerly had the experience of working as a migrant worker,” she says. “It’s important that they understand the oppression that exists, and that they are committed to social justice. Many of them have previously been supported by the Centre. It’s an amazing way to give back.”
Mendez says that the Centre receives many applications for all openings and appreciates the support. She acknowledges that it can be a challenge to compete with private practice when it comes to compensating lawyers. Committees, meanwhile, consist of volunteers.
“The main things we look for are heart, passion, and commitment to the work,” says Mendez.
Advocating for Migrant Workers Is My Passion
Mendez not only requires passion from her staff, but clearly exhibits it herself. Originally from Guatemala, she advocated for workers’ rights in her homeland during a time of war, receiving death threats for her work.
Her daily activities may have changed now that she is an executive director, but her motivation has not.
“As executive director, I speak with funders, but I speak from the same place in my heart that I always have,” she says. “This is my passion, and that’s why I do it.”
Cited Sources
1 Direct communication with Ingrid Mendez
