ALF V1

Low-wage employers won’t be deterred by change to guest worker program

Edmonton – A $275 processing fee for employers will not stop the exploitation of Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs).

The Alberta Federation of Labour which is one of the most prominent critics of the Temporary Foreign Worker program, pointed out that the fee ends up costing the employer about three and a half cents per hour, when amortized over the four years a worker stays in Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker program.

“A lot of these low-wage employers in the service sector will happily pay that for a worker who is willing to work for less for years and is too vulnerable to complain,” Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said. “$275 is a drop in the bucket and will not provide a significant disincentive to any employers who are trying to keep wages low.”

The processing fee came into effect on August 1, along with a series of marginal changes to the program that were announced in April. The changes included increased advertising from two weeks to four weeks, elimination of the 15 per cent pay gap for TFWs, and a requirement that employers assure the government that bringing in a TFW won’t adversely affect the local economy.

“Leaving the determination of whether TFWs are adversely affecting the economy in the hands of employers to see if Canadians are being displaced is laughable,” McGowan said. “Low-wage employers can’t be relied upon to protect the public interest.”

Over the past decade, the number of Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada has ballooned to more than 340,000. TFW permits have been granted regardless of economic circumstances, and in many cases, even when there were Canadian workers looking for work. A series of scandals involving employers who are abusing the system has made the program a political hot topic.

“The Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which has been greatly expanded since the Conservatives took power in 2006, is discredited, and has lost public support,” McGowan said. “They’re hoping these changes will make it palatable, but Canadians know exploitation when they see it. Canadians don’t want to see the creation of a permanent non-voting underclass of workers who don’t have the same rights as other residents of the country.”

-30-

MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell) or via e-mail [email protected]

Energy East no solution on its own, but creates opportunity for upgrading in Canada

EDMONTON - The Energy East pipeline is a two-edged sword warns the Alberta Federation of Labour.

Although the Energy East pipeline could help create good jobs in Canada, it will only do so if it is part of a national energy strategy that includes in-country upgrading and refining. Otherwise, it will only be the first leg of a journey that exports good-paying jobs to upgraders and refineries abroad.

"The Energy East pipeline has a capacity to ship 1.1 million barrels per day of raw bitumen," Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said, noting that there are two Eastern Canadian refineries that might be able to work with raw bitumen, the one in Sarnia and the one in St. John, which would require improvements before taking the bitumen. "At best they could only have taken a fraction of what the Energy East pipeline will carry – and they're already near capacity. Unless there are more upgraders being built, this is going to be an export pipeline."

The Alberta Federation of Labour has consistently called for the creation of more upgraders in Alberta. According to the Government of Alberta's testimony at the Northern Gateway hearings, Alberta is expected to lose $8 billion/year in refining value as we ship bitumen overseas rather than upgrading it here.

Several times over the past decade, and under the leadership of three premiers, the Government of Alberta has promised to ensure at least 2/3 of Alberta's bitumen is upgraded in the province. At present, barely half of our bitumen is upgraded in-province, and the percentage is decreasing.

"This is the wrong infrastructure for Alberta because pipelines don't upgrade," McGowan said. "We need a strategy to ensure Albertans get the maximum value out of the resources they own. Doing so creates more jobs and wealth. We get more for synthetic crude. Synthetic crude is easier to transport. It just makes sense for us as a province, and for us as a country."

Almost immediately after the pipeline approval was announced, TransCanada and Irving Oil said they would build a $300 million export terminal in Saint John that would ship raw bitumen to world markets. Ironically, this export terminal will be immediately adjacent to the existing import terminal.

"We'll be shipping a low-cost commodity to the United States or China, and then we'll have to buy it back from them at a premium. When you fill up your car, 40 cents of every liter will be shipped to Liaoning or Mississippi," McGowan said. "The few jobs created by the pipeline and export terminal will be dwarfed by the long-term jobs in refineries and upgraders elsewhere."

-30-

MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell)

or via e-mail [email protected]

Join concerned members of UNA Local 301 at the U of A Hospital on July 24 at 11:30 a.m. Affiliates are encouraged to bring your flags and banners and wear white in solidarity with UNA's Wear White Wednesday Campaign.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 24, 2013 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: University of Alberta Hospital

122 Street and 84 Avenue (112 Street Sidewalk), Edmonton

ISSUE

United Nurses of Alberta (UNA Local 301) RNs and RPNs at the University of Alberta Hospital (U of A), will be conducting an information walkabout at the U of A Hospital to protest nursing cuts and to inform the public about the detrimental affects of AHS's 'workforce transformation' on patient care. Across the province, nursing positions are disappearing as Alberta Health Services (AHS) implements staffing cuts under the banner of "Workforce Transformation" and the "Clinical Workforce Strategic Plan." AHS is also combining these cuts with offensive bargaining proposals in contract negotiations with nurses. For more information visit http://nursesmakethedifference.squarespace.com/

SPECIFIC CONCERNS AT THE U OF A HOSPITAL

The new workforce transformation collaborative model is being demoed at the University of Alberta Hospital (as well as the Royal Alexandra Hospital) involving one surgical and one medicine unit at each site. Overall there were 23 RNs laid off between the four units. Changes being proposed for the U of A Hospital for the fall include decreased numbers of RNs.

For example, for the surgical units:

Days - decreasing by two RNs
Early evenings - decreasing by two RNs
Late evenings - decreasing by one RN
Nights – decrease one LPN

This is of great concern for members of UNA 301. Their patients are sick and often very unstable. This is an acute care hospital and expert nursing care is needed to ensure patient safety.

CONTACTS

Ishani Weera, AFL Organizing and Outreach Director at 780-483-3021 or via e-mail [email protected]

Marie-Therese Mageau, UNA 301 at 780-407-7453

Investigations find employers skimming from TFW paycheques

EDMONTON - Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) face a greater risk of being the victims of payroll fraud.

Information obtained by the Alberta Federation of Labour shows that employers are likelier to violate the Employment Standards Code when they’re dealing with TFWs. Of investigations launched because of a complaint by a TFW, 47 per cent found the employer had contravened the Code. By comparison, the figure was 33 per cent when the complaint came from a Canadian worker.

“Workers brought in under the Temporary Foreign Worker program are less likely to know their workplace rights, are more likely to have language barriers, and are beholden to their employer for their ability to stay in Canada,” Alberta Federation of Labour Secretary Treasurer Siobhan Vipond said. “It seems clear that some predatory employers know these workers are vulnerable, and they’re exploiting that vulnerability. It’s disgraceful.”

The figures, which were collected from April 2012 – March 2013, were the result of investigations that were started because of a worker complaint. The province investigated only 218 complaints despite there being 68,319 TFWs in Alberta at that time.

“These are just the cases where there was a worker who was able to file a complaint,” Vipond said. “This is further evidence that the government needs to get serious about protecting TFWs and enforcing the rules. The province needs to resume proactive inspections; otherwise wage theft may never come to light.”

From 2009 to 2011, Alberta conducted a limited number of proactive investigations of work sites with Temporary Foreign Workers. The rate of payroll contraventions varied from month to month, peaking at 74 per cent in January 2010, but rarely dropping below 50 per cent.

“The federal government needs to axe the Temporary Foreign Worker program. Until the feds get around to that, Alberta needs to resume and ramp up their policing of workplaces with TFWs,” Vipond said. “These workers should be paid fairly. The government needs to ensure employers aren’t skimming from their paycheques.”

AFL Backgrounder: Temporary Foreign Workers shortchanged by payroll violations

-30-

MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell) or via e-mail [email protected]

2013 Backgrounder: Temporary Foreign Workers shortchanged by payroll violations

Aid must cover lost wages as well as damaged property

HIGH RIVER, AB – As flood rebuilding gets under way in earnest, and property owners begin to apply for compensation, Southern Alberta’s small businesses and employees are on the outside looking in. Many businesses have been forced to close, leaving some employees without an income for the foreseeable future.

“A loss of livelihood, even a temporary loss, can multiply the damage of a disaster like this, and make it more difficult for employees and employers to recover even long after the waters have receded,” Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) President Gil McGowan said. “The Alberta government has responded quickly to help many touched by the flood, but so far workers have fallen through the cracks because the federal government is not doing its part.”

The AFL is asking the federal government to modify Employment Insurance (EI) to better serve working people in this and future disasters. EI must be flexible in times of crisis if it is to be an effective safety net. The federal government should:

• Waive the EI waiting period for all workers who have lost income during the flood
• Streamline the EI Work-Sharing program to work for employers and employees as they slowly ramp up production to pre-flood levels

Small businesses across the flood-hit regions are struggling with an EI program too rigid to respond in a disaster. “I had to take our employees to the EI offices yesterday and I worry about how they’ll pay their bills since we’ve had to shut down. That’s been the hardest part for us,” local business owner Jane Miller said.

The AFL is also asking the Alberta government to expand the flood-relief debit card program to workers who have lost income due to business closures.

“Workers are worrying about buying groceries, and employers are worried about losing qualified staff who are forced to find another job,” McGowan said. “Expanding the debit card program to employees who’ve lost income will help both employees and employers get through this difficult time and focus on getting back to work as soon as possible.”

Workers at large and small businesses alike are hurting in the pocketbook from flood-related closures. A lack of potable water has kept Cargill’s High River meat-processing facility offline since the flood, leaving 2,000 employees without an income. “Cargill wants to hold on to its employees and we want to stay, but some workers may need to look for other sources of income if the plant doesn’t get back to full capacity soon,” said Albert Johnson, President of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1118, the union that represents 1,500 workers at the Cargill plant.

“Workers in flood-affected areas have been instrumental in stemming the losses and beginning to repair the damage,” McGowan said. “Government at all levels must make sure they receive the support they need.”

-30-

MEDIA CONTACT:
Gil McGowan, President, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.218.9888 (cell)

2013 Ltr to Finley_FINAL

The provincial government's demand that Northern Gateway conduct full-scale unannounced marine emergency response drills is not practical, the pipeline company said in its final argument on Monday.

Northern Gateway lawyer Richard Neufeld told the National Energy Board's Joint Review Panel that the number of people that need to be mobilized for a full-scale drill makes them difficult to co-ordinate logistically. He said it would be unfair to mobilize so many provincial and federal officials with no advance warning.

"[The full-scale drills are] beyond industry best practice," Neufeld said, noting that the company supports having unannounced drills for elements of its response plan.

B.C.'s chief legal strategist Geoff Plant said last week that the drills are necessary because at this point in time the province isn't sure if the plans the pipeline company has announced are feasible.

"The general concern all along has been that a lot of what has been put forward by Northern Gateway as evidence of their spill response capacity is more like plans than actual programs and some of the questions asked today is we actually wanted to test drive spill response plans to make sure they actually work," Plant said.

Twice during his final argument, Neufeld called on provincial officials to get together with the federal government and industry so the three groups can get on the same page regarding what's needed to make the marine response "world class."

Neufeld broke his nearly two-hour final argument into four themes: economic need for the pipeline; respect; the need for good science and balancing the public interest with regional effects.

He said the construction phase will generate 62,000 person years of employment and disputed claims by the Alberta Federation of Labour that those jobs were inconsequential in the long run.

"Those jobs will do more than provide a paycheque," Neufeld said. "It will provide income, enduring skills and more than that, hope."

In his section on respect, Neufeld said it was unfair that intervener groups had called Northern Gateway "dismissive, insulting and arrogant" during their final argument. Yet at the same time he consistently failed to identify Skeena-Bulkey Valley NDP MP Nathan Cullen by name, referring to the pipeline opponent as "the politician who called in from Ottawa" on more than one occassion. Neufeld named all other interveners directly.

The good science category was taken up by rebuttals on the fate of diluted bitumen in water, the threat posed by geohazards along the proposed right of way and the effects of routine marine operations on wildlife.

"The Internet is full of publications not supported by science," Neufeld said.

In his final section, Neufeld took on the request made by some intervener groups that Northern Gateway use tougher pipe and apply multi-layer coatings to reduce the risk of a rupture.

Neufeld said the company is sticking to its plan to use category one pipe for most of the route and category two on certain areas where it's required. He didn't mention category three pipe at all.

Earlier Monday, Prince George engineer Chris Peter told the panel that Northern Gateway is saying one thing in its filing and saying something different to the media when Ray Doering, the company's manager of engineering, speculated to the Citizen last week that category three pipe is being considered.

"Would a trial lawyer be able to try his case in the press without making the same case in court?" Peter asked.

The three members of the panel, Hans Matthews, Kenneth Bateman and chairwoman Sheila Leggett concluded the hearings by offering their thanks to everyone who participated in the process.

"Everyone has worked to provide the panel with the best evidence possible and we thank you for that," Leggett said.

They will begin their deliberations shortly and provide recommendations to the federal cabinet by the end of the year.

The Prince George Citizen, Wednesday, June 27, 2013
Byline: Peter James

The Alberta Federation of Labour's Gil McGowan is calling on the federal government to extend EI coverage to all those affected by floods in Southern Alberta.

Only about 22% of unemployed Albertans are eligible for EI and the waiting period is 2 weeks.

McGowan is asking Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Diane Finley to undertake a number of changes immediately including waiving all the waiting periods for those who qualify for benefits.

McGowan is also asking that EI benefits to small business owners affected by the flood be extended. He says many of the establishments under water in Calgary and surrounding communities, including High River, are in fact small businesses, therefore a special benefits class for small business owners whose businesses are not operational for up to four weeks should be created and all waiting periods should be waived.

McGowan says EI coverage to workers on commission and others, such as those who work for tips, who rarely qualify for EI, should be extended. Many of the workers affected by the floods are employed by small business and work on commission or for tips.

"The economic impact of this flood will be felt across Canada. The federal government should ensure no workers or small business owners are left out of reconstruction efforts," says McGowan.

"Almost all of Alberta's first responders are unions members and they're working hard in health care and emergency services delivery, remediation and restoration to help deal with the aftermath of the flood," says McGowan.

"We're hoping the federal government recognizes that not all workers have access to EI benefits. Extending them in these circumstances is the right thing to do for the people of Southern Alberta."

Okotos online, Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Byline: Dan Bascombe

Edmonton – Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan has called on the federal government to extend EI coverage for all those affected by floods in Southern Alberta.

Only about 22% of unemployed Albertans are eligible for EI and the waiting period is 2 weeks.

McGowan wrote to Minister Diane Finley today and asked her to immediately undertake the following:

• Waive all waiting periods for those who qualify for benefits.
• Extend EI benefits to small business owners affected by the flood. Many of the establishments under water in Inglewood/Mission, downtown Calgary, Bragg Creek, Medicine Hat, Banff/Canmore, Kananaskis and High River are in fact small businesses. Establish a special benefits class for small business owners whose businesses are not operational for up to (at least) four weeks and waive all waiting periods.
• Extend EI coverage to workers on commission and others – such as those who work for tips – who rarely qualify for EI. Many of the workers affected by the floods are employed by small business and work on commission or for tips. Extend EI coverage to those workers for their commission/tips income as reported to the CRA for the 2012 tax year.

"The economic impact of this flood will be felt across Canada. The federal government should ensure no workers or small business owners are left out of reconstruction efforts," says McGowan.

"Almost all of Alberta's first responders are union members and they're working hard in health care and emergency services delivery, remediation and restoration to help deal with the aftermath of the flood," says McGowan.

"We're hoping the federal government recognizes that not all workers have access to EI benefits. Extending them in these circumstances is the right thing to do for the people of Southern Alberta."

-30-

Read letter to Minister Finley

MEDIA CONTACT:

Gil McGowan, President, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780-218-9888 (cell)