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Launched in the early 1970s, and originally intended for limited high-skilled, high-paying jobs, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has grown into an economy-destroying nightmare that is putting Canadians out of work and enabling the exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers.
"Since 2006, the number of Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada has more than tripled. And Alberta is ground zero for the abuse of the program - and of Temporary Foreign workers," said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, "because Temporary Foreign Workers are dependent on the whims of their employers for their right to stay in Canada, they are at a disadvantage in terms of negotiating for fair wages, safe workplaces and respectful treatment. They face higher rates of wage theft, higher rates of workplace abuse, and often work for lower wages," he added.
The federation of labour presidents are seeking the premiers' support on the following TFWP recommendations:-- Phase-out the TFWP, especially in low-wage sectors;
-- Workers who are in Canada as a result of the TFWP should be granted
permanent resident status, and;
-- Consult broadly with stakeholders, including migrant worker justice
groups and organized labour, to develop stringent safeguards and strict
rules for any program that may replace the TFWP for highly-skilled
sectors.