Immigrant workers often denied rights

Greater Edmonton Alliance says guidelines should be made available in various languages

Elaheh Ahmadi

By BILL GLEN
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Elaheh Ahmadi wasn't used to the treatment she received when she started her new job as a physiology and anatomy teacher at a private school in Edmonton.

She had recently moved to Canada from Iran with her husband and two young children where she was a medical doctor and researcher. Her husband was a dentist. But the local workforce did not immediately embrace her hopes for a better life.

"I came to Canada in 2003 and I didn't know anything about my workplace rights or how the system works," said Ahmadi in an interview. "The children were rude and management wouldn't support me."

Persistant harassment

The curriculum and course materials were constantly changed without notice. Faculty members dropped into her classroom uninvited and openly criticized her teaching methods.

The school would not supply her with chalk for the blackboard when the overhead machine wasn't working.

Her paycheque was withheld and overtime was denied.

"Everyday it was something else. They knew it was my first experience here and that I needed that job. They knew that if they didn't pay, it was a good threat (to make me) do whatever they want," she said.

"When I drove to school in the morning, I would ask God what was going to happen that day. I asked him to help me deal with it. I never argued or made trouble. I didn't want to create a background that was unsuitable to get another job."

Employment standards

About two-dozen local immigrant leaders and workers shared similar struggles May 12 at St. Theresa's Church during an employment standards training session hosted by the Greater Edmonton Alliance.

The GEA is an alliance of church, union and community groups working to build a more just city. The Edmonton Archdiocese and several Catholic parishes are members.

Many immigrant workers are not told about overtime pay or timely pay cheques, sick leave or maternity benefits. They are here to work and tend not to rock the boat because they want to keep their jobs.

"This session is to advise workers about workplace rights and standards," said Ahmadi, a GEA member. "They become aware of their rights and learn there are some governmental organizations that take care of it."

Michael Walters says a problem exists when, out of fear of losing his or her job, a worker refuses to say he or she is being mistreated.

"Some companies hire family leaders and place them in well paying jobs. They, in turn, recruit from within the family or others from their own communities, and the company treats them very poorly. What are they to do?" said Walters, a GEA representative.

"Are they going to rat on their own uncle? The nephews and nieces don't want to upset things. It's ruthless. And we hear a lot of stories like that."

Low wages for immigrant workers, denial of their rights and workplace mistreatment are the main issues the GEA is addressing with immigrant leaders and Alberta government representatives.

In November 2006, the GEA approached the Employment, Industry and Immigration (EII) department of the Alberta government and coordinated a pilot training session.

Some 30 immigrant community leaders met with an employment standards educator, who discussed what happens to some immigrant workers.

The government representative told them about the workers' rights and what should have happened. From that meeting came discussion on how to make employment standards more accessible to the workers through education and translation. Currently, all material is in English only.

GEA wants the Alberta government to translate the most effective material available for newcomers into several languages, including Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic and Spanish.

Target community leaders

Cindy Thompson says the government is committed to training community leaders so they better understand and learn how to identify their people's issues.

"I think there is some fear out there on the immigrants' part if they say something. We want them to speak freely," said Thompson, education program coordinator for the EII. She attended the May 12 meeting. "There is a large group interested in making this work."

Thompson will identify what issues are relevant to the concerns of the group, or the individual, and direct them to where they can get the best help.

"If it's a safety issue, for example, there are a lot of people here to help them out," she said. "Our area is to do the pro-active work with workplaces, trying to get them to get along so that issues don't become a dispute."

Walters said the GEA is pleased with some components of this campaign, but added that it is a highly complex situation.

"There are some strong and powerful immigrant leaders in Edmonton who, if they see a major problem, now have an opportunity to work with the government."

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