This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
Vancouver restaurant outlet accused of reneging on wages and refusing to repay $6,000 processing fees paid in advance by 50 Philippine cooks and servers.
Vancouver (14 Jan. 2011) - Fifty temporary foreign workers hired by the Denny's restaurant chain in Vancouver are suing the company for $10 million.
Recruited from the Philippines under the Canadian Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) last fall to work as cooks and servers, they say they were cheated out of wages and that their employer refused to repay steep fees they were required to post before coming to Canada.
"Very vulnerable workers that are being brought over under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program shouldn't be taken advantage of," their lawyer, Charles Gordon, told CBC News.
The employees initially sought help from Migrante-BC, an organization representing temporary workers from the Philippines, said spokeswoman Jane Ordinario.
"They had to pay $6,000 for the processing fee and they still owe money from that, plus they're not working enough hours," she said. "And if they complain, they'll be laid off. So emotionally, it's really affecting them."
She also alleged that other employers - not named - are taking advantage of workers in similar ways. "This is a new program, so there are lots of loopholes," she said.
Denny's has not responded to the claim and declined requests for interviews. It did issue a statement saying it supports workplace ethics and is investigating.
“The federal government’s (program) continues to be a shameful treadmill that lures workers to Canada and then leaves them defenseless and vulnerable,” says Wayne Hanley, national president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW Canada).
"The fact that the Denny’s workers have been forced to go to court is yet another blatant example of how the exploitive TFWP turns a blind eye to what happens to migrant workers once they arrive in Canada.”
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has signed a protocol with UFCW Canada to assist in organizing exploited groups of workers such as migrants and employees of Walmart.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE