Government increases temporary workers while unemployment remains high

The government, even in recession, is bringing in increased numbers of temporary workers into markets that have heavy unemployment and heavy student unemployment in particular.

Business wants government to bring in workers even though we have many able to do the work here-- even skilled workers from other countries willing to live 8 adults to an apartment and work for minimum wage while Canadians with skills will not do that. There is a reason for this-- they are not maintaining a permanent home here so living in a dorm like environment here for a while to make some money for a few months is fine. No Canadian resident can afford to do that while maintaining homes here.

Something we don't consider much-- temporary workers form part of the second tier of healthcare. As we bring them into the country, we cannot pretend everyone in Canada has healthcare-- they don't qualify as you need permanent residency. For them, they have -- right here in Canada-- living right next to you-- US style healthcare (which means no healthcare for poorer people). They can hand over most of their pay to get health insurance or go without and hope they stay healthy and don't get injured on the perhaps very dangerous jobsite. Don't think this just happens in the US-- it is happening here as the Conservatives import a whole new underclass. And their existence should worry you-- because they would like many of you to join them. They want you to be used to living beside people with no safety net, no healthcare and no rights. Eventually they want you to live like them.

For students this is devastating- contemplating paying increased costs for tuition without employment.

For workers with jobs, this removes the other safety net-- lower end jobs. When people run out of EI, can't find work in their field- they may work lower end jobs but the government wants to take this away. This of course will put pressure on workers- don't ask much-- be willing to work for low wages because if you lose this job we have already given the lower end jobs away.

For workers I don't just mean pressure to keep wages down-- temporary workers are virtually owned by the employer they can't quit and go anywhere else who would have them- their work permits are very restrictive and name the employer. They know better than to ask for health and safety standards to be met. They are the ultimate in Kleenex workers.

For immigrants to Canada who face high unemployment and often work in low skill environments while learning the language, this is also a devastating betrayal. For those who want to come to Canada, the door is slammed shut except for short periods of exploitation.

For the government to rely more on temporary workers- transferring a small amount of wealth to them and a large amount to the businesses that employ them, there is a rationale. We won't need a domestic market if we can secure free trade across the Americas or elsewhere- then we don't have to rely on there being a consumer market here-- better to have them come and go and not be able to make demands, or vote, or receive any care from government.

The use of increased numbers of temporary workers makes the government of Canada even more of a traitor to the interests of Canadians and a parasite on the rest of the world (it has been both for some time).

If we need these workers-- let them come here and be residents of Canada with the rights we enjoy. If we don't need them, still we should settle properly those who come here allowing them hope for a future here.

Other countries went down this road using more and more temporary second-class residents. Some of the countries learned that the only way to resist a government doing this is to riot. I hope that our future does not invovle burning cities- but how can we expect security creating large numbers of people with no hope and nothign to lose- and by this I do not mean just the temporary workers but those who already live here affected by this policy.

Comments

Submitted by Sean in Ottawa on July 22, 2009 - 6:35pm.

I can't rememebr how to get a short link to the article in the Globe-- which does not go as far as I have but here is the title:

Skilled immigrants squeezed out as temporary workers flock to Canada

I want to avoid sidescroll-- can someone send me a message letting me know how to post a url properly...

Thanks

Submitted by remind on July 22, 2009 - 7:24pm.

Sean above your posting box is the formatting bar in gray, right after the numbered column function is a chain link, hight light whatever word you want to denote the url link and then click that chain link, and the url box will open and you paste the url into itand then click the insert button at the bottom of the url box and then it is done.

Interesting content the OP, the Cons will be punished for this by certain demographics with the party.

Submitted by Sean in Ottawa on July 22, 2009 - 7:23pm.

Another issue relating to second clas residents is the exploitation of permanent residents in the workplace. If they do not have a lot of work experience there are many profitable companies who offer them "volunteer" positions where they are not paid at all but work for that company to get a reference.

One example -- I know this situation personally-- is a person who hangs around community centres and offers employment -- the workers don't find out untill after they have accepted and told their friends etc. the good news-- that it will not come with a paycheque. They feel pressured into doing the "contract" even without payment rather than telling people they have been had. Some believe that it is legitimate for private businesses to have volunteer workers who do it for the experience even though there is no teaching component. Because they find out before they start the "employer" can claim that they knew it was not paid work. Nothing is in writing. This is obviously disgusting exploitation that is made possible by the refusal by Canadian employers to accept anything other than Canadian work experience.

Submitted by remind on July 22, 2009 - 7:33pm.

well there is actually another component to this happening in BC. Businesses are getting volunteers who are unemployed or who are on pensions, to work for them by way of a 100 bucks per month charatible donation to them. You have to work 4 days a month to get your extra 100.00 bucks, or 25.00 per day.

Pretty damn cheap wages eh?

Submitted by Sean in Ottawa on July 22, 2009 - 9:07pm.

I don't think any profit-making business should be allowed to have volunteers for business operations-- if they are for some other social value event sponsored by the company that's okay.

Submitted by remind on July 22, 2009 - 9:15pm.

Ah, but that gives them room to move too.

Submitted by Sean in Ottawa on July 23, 2009 - 7:24am.

It does but only in a promote the business and look good way and it limits it severely since the resources a business will put out to public causes is limited-- so volunteering to help at a festival festooned with the logo of a business because that business is supporting it is limited. This is quite different than being directly involved in wealth generation for that business.

While imperfect allowing this leaves open volunteering with a business that is donating its resources but close off volunteering to help a business directly make money or work on its core activity. Detailed rules can spell out the principle-- but to allow volunteers to work on a music festival sponsored by rogers that has no income stream to the company I think can be allowed but to volunteer on or to run a Rogers station would be not allowed. I would ahve thought minimum wage legislation would have dealt with this and was surprised that it has not.

Submitted by Sean in Ottawa on July 23, 2009 - 7:48am.

Interesting point-- the UK establishes that you can only volunteer for social or charity work-- in Canada we allow business to get volunteers to do profit-making work-- particularly as an objective to getting work experience-- of course it is the same businesses who define how much work experience is required to get paid work. It is like we are moving towards a national service except rather than in the interest of the nation it is for private business. A form of modern slave labour if you will. Disgusting.

Submitted by Sean in Ottawa on July 23, 2009 - 5:34pm.

I am saddened that this issue is of so little interest here since it is loaded with issues of racism, the exploitation of workers and social inequality and the selling out of our own workers and students during a time of economic crisis.

It is also severely under-reported and discussed in the MSM. Maybe they are right-- Canadians just don't care.

I can only hope that the reason for the lack of interest here, is either caused by my writing or a title that is not connecting. It would be devastating to conclude that people here are really more interested in poll numbers, petty scandals and cute little stories of little substance than what is happening to real people here.

To me this is what politics is about-- addressing inequality, exploitation, equal rights

Maybe it is timing or the way I said it. I hope so.