Human Rights Commission Refuses To Hear Complaint About Steel Workers In Coal Mine Issue
Monday, January 21, 2013 @ 11:31 AM
Burnaby- B.C. – The Canadian Human Rights Commission has refused to accept a complaint made against the United Steelworkers in connection to the union’s campaign regarding the use of temporary foreign workers in a mine in northern British Columbia.
The complaint was filed by an employee of HD Mining and was submitted on company letterhead. It alleged that the union had violated “hate crimes” provisions of the Human Rights Act in its efforts to publicize concerns about the temporary foreign worker program.
In rejecting the complaint, the Commission ruled that it does not meet the threshold test to make a case under section 13 of the Human Rights Act. The Steelworkers provided the Commission with a submission that clearly demonstrated that the union’s campaign is motivated by concerns over the exploitation of foreign workers and the effect of the temporary foreign worker program on Canadian workers.
“As the cloud of scandal grows around the use of temporary foreign workers in this mine, more and more people are speaking out and demanding their elected officials act in the best interests of Canadian workers and local communities" says Stephen Hunt, United Steelworkers Director for Western Canada . "This is an important public discussion, about what type of future our country is going to have and it is shameful that some are trying to shut it down."
Comments
Pretty sick that our own govt permits these things from going on in it’s employers own country.
We have a corrupt environment at all levels of government. Those who wish to right a wrong are penalized while those in positions of power or wealth continue to break or stretch rules for their benefit. We need to stop playing by the very rules these “people” developed. The rich and those with money don’t follow them….if everyone starts breaking the rules those n power would no longer have the advantage. It’s time for some tough love when it comes to our politians. NO MORE CAREER POLITITIANS
Hiring foreign workers is another scam by greedy, money-mongering businesses who don’t care about the integrity of a local economy.
We have plenty of able people to do most jobs: plenty of skilled people who can transfer their skills to meeet certain job requirements if they aren’t already completely qualified to do the job.
Wow, so many experts posting here. It’s amazing we have any problems in this country at all.
At the risk of causing a poop storm, I have a couple of questions I would like answered honestly if anyone knows – as opposed to the knee jerk “foreign workers are bad” reaction…
1 – With the boom in mining, and the low unemployment rate, who are all these ones that are supposedly qualified but still unemployed? Bottom of the barrel?
2 – How many of these workers would actually be willing to work in a Chinese underground coal mine? Zero, but the union rhetoric has them banging the drums?
I’ve read posts from fellows that applied and were rejected because they didn’t speak mandarin….
Good job Steelworkers. Somebody has to put the rein on this garbage. It was the BC Liberal Government and the big business that gutted the apprenticeship programs back a few years ago. Now they say Canadians aren’t qualified so we need cheep foreign labour. Now the lights come on as to why the training programs run jointly by business and unions was dispensed with. All part of the big picture I guess.
“The Steelworkers provided the Commission with a submission that clearly demonstrated that the unionâs campaign is motivated by concerns over the exploitation of foreign workers and the effect of the temporary foreign worker program on Canadian workers.”
So is anyone working yet? Is anyone who is working having their human rights infringed?
It seems to me that this is akin to saying ….. arrest that person …. she looks like a thief who is about to steal something.
Response … sorry, until she actually steels something, I cannot arest her.
I know. Anyone who is not working there is having their human rights infringed since they were not hired.
Oh no, wait ….. only if they are union members ….. if they are not union, then their rights are not infringed.
What does union or non union have to do with this ? All Canadian workers will see a drop in living standards if we don’t stand up soon.
Good for them. Usually the “Rights Commission” stands up for someone that wants to marry a houseplant but at least in this case they have picked the right dog in the fight. I’d like to think that Canadian Rights supercede Corporate rights. Jobs for Citizens, Chinese nationals need not apply…
The human rights commision is a absurd kangaroo court. Their arbitrary and often bazaar discions should not be construied as any sort of victory for the unions. It mearley high lights the joke of HRC’s accross the country.
I guess now it is in the hands of Shirley Bond in the justice Ministry and and the judges to review the case.
If Canada had a functioning human rights tribunal, there was no need for UN to condemn the human rights in Canada. In BC the BCHRT has been weakened by legislation passed by the BC Liberal party. You are now allowed to file a complaint 6 months after the fact; which was earlier 12 months. NDP next gov should do something about it.
BC Liberals have also eliminated access to lawyer for filing the complaint and the people judging the cases are not real judges. It is turning into another ineffective tribunal like BC labor relations board.
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