TUESDAY, JULY 04, 2006

VANCOUVER – Foreign workers on a tunnel construction project on the publicly-funded Canada Line (formerly RAV Line), many being paid just $3.47 per hour, have been granted union certification by the BC Labour Relations Board (LRB), says the British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council (BCYT).

Wayne Peppard, BCYT Executive Director, said a majority of the 40 foreign workers, mostly from Costa Rica, Columbia and Ecuador, were earning only $1000 USD per month plus room and board. Evidence presented showed they were working for just $3.47 per hour, six days at a minimum of 60 hours per week, said Peppard.

The exploited foreign workers are employed by the SLCP-SELI Joint Venture. The joint venture partners are SELI Canada Inc., owned by Italian parent SELI, and SNC-Lavalin Constructors (Pacific) Inc., a subsidiary of Canadian giant SNC-Lavalin.

Now a strong majority of all workers on the tunnel project under False Creek have voted to be certified with the Labourers Construction and Specialized Workers’ Union, Local 1611. Labourers Business Manager Mark Olsen said his union will quickly attempt to negotiate a collective agreement for all workers on the job site. Such an agreement will have special significance to the foreign workers who will now receive wages and working conditions equal to those given to Canadian workers.

“These workers have shown great solidarity and strength of character to stand up to their employer and demand equal rights. The Building Trades Unions are proud to support them,” said Wayne Peppard. ”These foreign workers are working alongside Canadian workers who are being paid over $20 per hour for the same jobs”

Olsen said. “It is a disgrace that any worker in this country could be allowed to be exploited like these workers have been.”

Peppard said most of the workers on the tunnel project are in Canada on Temporary Foreign Worker Visas and the BCYT believes the criteria for allowing them in have clearly been violated.

“There should be a full federal inquiry into this program. How is it that major companies like SNC Lavalin, SELI and InTransit BC can allow foreign workers to be exploited at less than minimum wages under a government program that is supposed to pay prevailing market rates?” Peppard asked.

Peppard said there was clearly a lack of due diligence by the federal government. Although both Immigration Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada are mandated with enforcement capability, they have clearly not exercised their responsibility to confirm compliance with the TFW approvals. The BCYT contends that this resulted in these workers being exploited at wages below the Provincial Employment Standards.

Peppard said unionization will ensure the Canada line workers receive wages and terms comparable to other construction workers in BC. This will send a clear message to the government and contractors that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program must not be used to undercut Canadian market wages and benefits by using foreign workers as cheap labour.

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For further information contact: Wayne Peppard BCYT, 604-291-9020 or cell 778-388-0014 or Mark Olsen, Labourers 1611 at 604-432-9300 or cell 604-341-1799 or Bill Tieleman, West Star Communications, 604-844-7827 or cell 778-896-0964

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For further information contact 

the BCYT-BCTC office:  604-291-9020

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