Temporary Foreign Worker program under the microscope
The Alberta Federation of Labour will be paying close attention to the Federal review of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that was announced on November 8, 2012.
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The program will be reviewed due to criticism over the approval of a deceitful application that allowed a northeast B.C. coal project to hire 200 Chinese nationals for jobs that could have been filled locally. The AFL has concerns that the review will be used as a smokescreen to hide deeper problems, and called for meaningful participation from labour activists and from the public at large.
If they want to find the source of the problems with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the Harper Conservatives just need to look in the mirror,” AFL president Gil McGowan said. “They created this monster by removing any checks and balances from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and by rubberstamping every application.”
For more information see Nov 9 AFL release and backgrounder.
AFL and UFCW lead the charge for food safety
- The Alberta Federation of Labour and United Food and Commercial Workers are calling on Premier Alison Redford to stand up for the province’s beef industry by conducting an independent public inquiry.
In a public letter sent to the Premier on Thursday, October 18, AFL president Gil McGowan and UFCW Local 401 president Doug O’Halloran explained the reasons a public inquiry into the causes of the E.Coli outbreak at the Lakeside plant in Brooks would be in the best interest of consumers, the cattle industry and of Albertans.
Read the whole story: Oct 18 AFL Release
Urgent Action
Help us defeat Bill C-377
- The Alberta Federation of Labour is calling on all of our affiliates and members to help quash the anti-union Bill C-377.
This private-members bill is not about transparency; it is an effort on the part of the Harper Government to undermine the ability of unions to act as an effective voice for working people. The bill is designed to increase costs to unions and divert resources from collective bargaining and servicing towards accounting and bureaucracy.
“This is a political bill. In the same way that they have cut funding to environmental groups and women’s groups, they are trying to weaken and muzzle a strong progressive voice,” Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said. “We have an obligation to act together to protect the labour movement, and in doing so, protect broader civil society.”
To join the fight, contact your Member of Parliament: CLICK HERE
Download the AFL Submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-377: CLICK HERE
Events
November 23-25: Parkland Institute’s 16th Annual Fall Conference: Petro, Power and Politics
November 24: International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women
December 4: AFL Open House
December 7: Deadline to register for 2013 AFL/CLC Winter School
Did you know …
- In 2010, 74 per cent of employers with workers under the TFW Program were found to be in violation of the Alberta Labour Code.
- There are currently more than 60,000 Temporary Foreign Workers in Alberta, giving the province the biggest TFW population in Canada as a proportion of the labour force.
- More than 50,000 additional TFW applications from Alberta employers were approved in 2011.
- Between 2002 and 2008, the number of TFWs present in Canada rose by 148 per cent, from 101,259 to 251,235.