THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2008

The British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council

Please see below a proposed Opinion-Editorial article By Wayne Peppard, Executive Director BC Building Trades Council

Wayne Peppard can be reached at 604-291-9020 or cell phone 778-388-0014 or email wpeppard@bcbuildingtrades.org

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Canada’s Shame – The Exploitation of Migrant Workers

By Wayne Peppard, Executive Director BC Building Trades Council

On December 10th, the world paused to remember the ideals of the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights, enacted 60 years ago. On December 18th the United Nations celebrates the 18th Anniversary of the International Convention on Migrant Workers and their Families.

Canadians have a special need to reflect during this week of international attention on human rights. Our country has been a leader in the practical recognition and defense of human rights.

But our reputation is at risk. Canada’s increasing reliance on migrant labour to fill temporary labour shortages is raising a host of problems.

A December 3rd decision by the BC Human Rights Tribunal is shining a light on the abuse and exploitation here in Vancouver. The case revolves around 38 Latin American workers on temporary work permits who excavated the twin tunnels for the new Richmond-Airport-Vancouver rapid transit project called the Canada Line.

On December 3, 2008, the BCHRT found that Canada Line construction workers from Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador suffered discrimination based on their skin colour, ethnicity, ancestry and country of origin.

When Building Trades organizers first approached the workers, in June, 2006, wages for the Latin Americans were less than $5 per hour. Shortly thereafter the wages were raised, but the rates remained far below industry standards.

In its decision last week the BCHRT found that the Latin American workers earned approximately $40,000 less than their European colleagues, were accommodated in inferior housing, were given less choice about where and what to eat and made to account for every expense incurred, rather than given an allowance like their European counterparts.

The Tribunal decision has lifted the cover off the ugly side of Canada’s ‘guest worker’ program. Temporary foreign workers are especially vulnerable; they often don’t speak English, have little understanding of their employment standards and labour rights, are coerced and intimidated by employers, live in fear of retaliation if they speak out and have few options for recourse.

Last year over 200,000 temporary foreign workers came to Canada; over 29,000 of these to BC. The numbers have doubled in just four years. Employers of farm workers, live-in-caregivers, hospitality industries, health care and service industries now regularly turn to ‘guest workers’ to meet immediate labour shortages.

The vast majority of Canadians are not against the importation of temporary workers; as long as there is a proven shortage of workers in Canada and that the temporary workers are not used as a source of cheap labour. Here is the problem, Federal and provincial governments, have no pro-active monitoring and no compliance mechanism to stop the abuses against the workers.

Canada’s temporary worker program is in shambles. The temporary work permit is tied to a single employer. Workers are dependent on their employer for wages, work visas, accommodation and food. Speaking up to ask for their rights invariably leads to firing or worse. Fear of being sent home is constant for most workers.

The disgrace for Canadians goes far beyond the abused Canada Line workers. This is not an isolated case. Thousands of migrant workers silently suffer their exploitation, too afraid to speak out about the abuses they endure. It’s time for all Canadians to demand that our governments live up to commitments made at the United Nations to protect the rights of all people we invite to work and build this country.

For further information contact 

the BCYT-BCTC office:  604-291-9020

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