Yukon labour group raises foreign workers' concerns

The Yukon Federation of Labour says it has heard from some foreign temporary workers whomay have been treated unfairly by their employers.

The federation says the foreign temporary workers and possibly others are too afraid to speak out, for fear of being sent back to their home countries.

Federation president Alex Furlong said at least 10 temporary workers have come to him with concerns "around health and safety, concerns of how some are being paid, concerns about the obligations of employers and their obligations."

"I really think there's certainly a miscommunication as to what the foreign workers really understand on their port of entry," Furlong said Monday.

The Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce estimates there are about 500 foreign workers in the territory, brought in through temporary worker programs offered by the federal and territorial governments.

Visas for both programs are directly tied to the employers, and that's why foreign temporary workers are too scared to voice their workplace concerns, Furlong said.

"Certainly you would be less inclined to say there's an issue in your workplace when all it would take is the stroke of a pen to land you back in the Philippines," he said.

Received no complaints: chamber

But Whitehorse chamber president Rick Karp said he has not heard any complaints related to foreign temporary workers.

"The foreign workers coming in are anxious to work, very happy to be here in Canada and in Whitehorse," he said.

Karp said he believes the temporary worker programs are working well. The Whitehorse chamber will meet with the Yukon government next week to discuss the programs, he added.

"They're going to be bringing up someone from [the federal Department of] Citizenship and Immigration on this particular topic to discuss some changes and get some feedback from the business community," Karp said.

Furlong said the Yukon Federation of Labour also wants to meet with governments to discuss specific cases.