RE: SIDHU &SONS NURSERY – DEC. 2, 2010 ARTICLE
The Dec. 2, 2010, edition ofThe Western Producerincluded an article entitled “B. C. migrants get contract for better working conditions,” which reported on the collective agreement in place at Sidhu &Sons’ Nursery Ltd. for its foreign employees hired pursuant to the Seasonal Agricultural Work Program (SAWP).
It has been brought to our attention that the United Food and Commercial Workers Union has issued a statement indicating that the Union spokesperson made various inaccurate statements when being interviewed by our reporter. The statement can be viewed in its entirety at www.ufcw1518.com. The Western Producertakes this opportunity to draw readers’ attention to the Union’s clarification. The Union’s statement says that the Union spokesperson was not referring to Sidhu &Sons when she made the comment that “migrant workers who previously spoke up about harsh working and living conditions were often not rehired.”
Read Also

Ag in Motion innovation awards showcase top 2025 ag technology
The 2025 Ag in Motion Innovation Awards celebrated winners across five categories: agronomics, agtech, business solutions, environmental sustainability and equipment.
The Union’s statement also says the Union spokesperson was incorrect when she said that SAWP employees at Sidhu &Sons did not receive two paid 15 minute breaks during an eight hour shift until the collective agreement was in place and that the six percent vacation pay referenced in the collective agreement was not provided by Sidhu &Sons before the collective agreement was in place. Sidhu &Sons says both benefits were already in place.
At the time of publishing our article, we had no reply to our request of Sidhu &Sons for comments. Sidhu &Sons has now issued the following statement which we have agreed to publish:
“Sidhu &Sons is a family business established in 1975. We at Sidhu &Sons have always valued our foreign SAWP employees and had established a good working relationship with them well before the organizing or involvement of any union.
“We were one of the first employers in British Columbia to hire employees under SAWP and since then we have employed foreign workers to perform the same task as its domestic workers. We have continually ensured that our working and living conditions meet or exceed all applicable legislated employment standards, SAWP requirements, and housing requirements and inspections.
“Our good relationship with our SAWP employees is evident in the fact that the same SAWP employees have chosen to return to work for us year after year. For the 2010 season, 80 percent of the SAWP employees working at Sidhu &Sons have worked for us for four or more seasons.”