Migrante Manitoba | December 24, 2025
In gratitude, in solidarity
This holiday season, 17 migrant mechanic workers faced sudden termination — workers who had just arrived on the prairies from the Philippines, forced to leave their families behind to feed them, a cruel paradox born from a homeland rich in resources and potential, yet stripped of opportunities by a government that chooses corruption over its people’s survival.
In that moment of deep precarity, when migrant workers were once again treated as disposable labour by a system designed to extract and exploit, the community organized.
Migrante Manitoba is deeply moved by the outpouring of solidarity — including financial contributions, warm meals, rides, winter clothing, and essential supplies — given in the spirit of collective care. This is worker-led solidarity. This is community power in action.
While we are concluding our formal call for material donations, workers and their families are still carrying the material and emotional consequences of exploitation and broken commitments by their employer, leaving many with unmet and urgent needs. We continue to respond on a case-by-case basis and welcome direct outreach from those who wish to support us.
To the mountain of volunteers — immigration settlement workers, students, community members — who gave their time during the holidays: you lived the true spirit of this season. Solidarity with workers exploited by a system that profits from their precarity. You showed that migrants’ rights are workers’ rights are human rights, that dignity is non-negotiable, and that our power grows when we stand together.
The struggle continues.
We urgently need volunteers to help process an overwhelming volume of paperwork and claims, as there remain unresolved workplace violations and the ongoing work of holding employers, complaint mechanisms, and government oversight bodies accountable to ensure justice and lasting protections for migrant workers. Justice is not given — it is organized for and won.
A fuller campaign update is coming soon. Donors and supporters acknowledged below.*
An injury to one is an injury to all. No worker stands alone.
*With deep gratitude to our donors and supporters (first names only, to respect privacy):
Angela (2), Anny (2), Broadway Disciples United Church, Christopher, Cindy, Daisy, David, Efrel, Emelina, Freedom, Hayser, Industrial Workers of the World, Jaden, Jennifer (fundraiser), Jerry, Justin, Karen, Kyla, Lindsay, Manitoba Federation of Labour, Mary Jean, Meghan, Minda, Monica, Natalie, Nicole+Ann (2), Noa, Orlando (Ken/Baby, Tanya, MaryAnn), Patricia, Paul, Paul, Richard, Robyn (2), Ryka, Simon, Susan, Syrelle, Yi
Special recognition to CUPE Saskatchewan, Canadian Mennonite University, Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, Angela, Azenith, Natalie, Rhea and Tes for in-kind donations, and to the many others who contributed goods and supplies.
42 financial donors contributed a total of $6025 to date. The funds received up to last night were divided equally among each worker involved in the campaign. All bank transactions were verified directly by the workers for full transparency of donations received from December 18 to present. Any funds received after last night’s distribution will be decided collectively by the workers themselves as to their purpose.
A special thank you to Broadway Disciples United Church for providing refuge and sanctuary to the workers in their time of need — your doors opened when it mattered most.
And to Anakbayan Manitoba for spearheading the political organizing, logistical coordination, and community mobilization that made this collective response possible. Your leadership turned crisis into organized power.
This is what solidarity looks like in practice.
Migrante Manitoba | [email protected]