As part of our union’s commitment to learn from the experiences and celebrate the successes of Indigenous, Black and racialized CUPE members, CUPE is profiling members of the National Racial Justice Committee and National Indigenous Council. This month, meet National Racial Justice Committee member Sabu Jacob.
Sabu Jacob is a member of CUPE 2523 and works as a dietary aide at the Atlantic Baptist Nursing Home in Charlottetown. A committed union activist for over 10 years, he was nominated in 2024 by CUPE PEI to serve on CUPE’s National Racial Justice Committee. Known as a natural bridge-builder between migrant and immigrant workers by his local, and his employer, he sees his role on the national committee as an opportunity to both deepen his advocacy and share his knowledge.
Before immigrating to Canada, Sabu practiced law for two decades in southern India, an experience that continues to shape his strong commitment to human rights. In recent years, he has become a key support figure for international students and other newcomers to Canada, creating an informal network and setting up WhatsApp groups for racialized workers in his local. Many turn to him for guidance when navigating workplace challenges. Yet, as he points out, significant barriers remain: “Discrimination is still a main challenge. Migrant and immigrant∗ workers are scared to bring up concerns to their employer, as they don’t want to be perceived as doing something wrong. There is still a lot of work to do.”
The challenges facing immigrant and migrant workers
For Sabu, the participation of migrant and immigrant workers in the labour movement is not just important, it is essential to building real worker solidarity. Drawing from his own experience supporting fellow migrant and immigrant workers, he highlights a persistent gap between union leadership and the realities faced by those on temporary or closed work permits.
In many workplaces, leadership positions are often held by the same individuals, with little space made for migrant, immigrant, Black or racialized workers. As a result, key decisions are made without input from those directly affected. “How can they understand our challenges,” he asks, “if no one like us is represented?” This absence is also reflected in collective agreements that fail to address the needs of workers on closed work permits, who are often excluded from protections provided to other employees.
His account also reveals the vulnerability created by immigration policies themselves. In recent years, Sabu witnessed the arrival of internationally recruited workers in the long-term care sector. Bound to a single employer through closed work permits, these workers faced immense precarity: losing their job could mean losing their right to remain in Canada. In one case, he personally intervened to help a worker avoid being sent back to her home country after being deemed unfit for the job. Outside of his workplace, he has become a key resource within his community, informally advising hundreds of workers and students navigating Canada’s complex and often opaque immigration system.
Sabu describes a growing sense of frustration among immigrant and migrant workers in Prince Edward Island, particularly following recent policy changes that reduced access to permanent residency. He also recalls how many international students, after years of studying and working in Canada, suddenly found themselves at risk of deportation. The situation culminated in protests and a hunger strike in 2024. By telling this story, he underscores the urgent need for unions to ensure meaningful representation and to advocate for migrant and immigrant workers who are facing unprecedented challenges.
The contribution of immigrant and migrant workers matters
Sabu believes that fear is one of the biggest barriers preventing migrant and immigrant workers from fully exercising their rights. Many, particularly those on closed work permits or in provincial nominee programs, remain silent out of concern that speaking up could cost them not only their jobs, but also their ability to stay in Canada. “They are afraid to lose everything,” he explains, emphasizing how this insecurity keeps workers from raising concerns or contributing to union life. To counter this, he urges unions to take a more proactive role in both outreach and education.
Ensuring that migrant and immigrant workers understand their collective agreements, their rights, and the conditions tied to their work permits is essential to empowering them. But education alone is not enough: representation also matters. Sabu argues that having migrant and immigrant workers on union committees would help build trust and create safer spaces for others to speak out. Without that visibility, many workers feel the union does not represent them, reinforcing a sense of exclusion and skepticism. “If I go alone, I cannot change anything,” he says, underscoring the importance of collective action. For him, meaningful participation and accessible education are the keys to building trust.
Through his work and advocacy, Sabu reminds us that solidarity cannot exist without inclusion. Empowering immigrant and migrant workers to know their rights and take their place within the labour movement is not optional, it is essential. Change, he believes, will come one voice and one act of courage at a time.
∗ According to the Canadian Council for Refugees, a migrant is someone living outside their country of origin, often temporarily or without permanent status. An immigrant, however, is a person who has permanently settled in another country. Unlike refugees, who are forced to flee due to danger or persecution, immigrants generally choose to relocate. (Source: https://ccrweb.ca)
