'Basic breakdown in communication' behind fish plant foreign worker dissatisfaction, says advocate

An advocate for foreign workers is calling for changes to P.E.I.'s Employment Standards Act, following the departure of Mexican workers who were employed at North Lake Fisheries.

"The problem was that they did misunderstand why they weren't working," said MarieBurge, founding member of the Cooper Institute, which advocates for temporary foreign workers.

"That's normal, considering they come from a different culture, a different language, and there was very little possibility of them having a communication with the company. On both sides there was misunderstanding on what was happening."

• Mexican fish-plant workers want more hours, stay home in protest

One of the workers, speaking on behalf of all those at the North Lake plant, told CBCthey asked to be sent home because they were not receiving enough hours of employment.

They'd expected to be working 55 hours a week, but the six-month contract specified no minimum hours of work.Earlier this month, the35 workers chose to stay away from the plant, because only eight of them had been asked to work, the spokesperson told CBC.

CBC agreed not to name the worker, as he fears he might encounter problems seeking future work in Canada.

A staff member at the Cooper Institute, who is fluent in Spanish, met with some of the workers, and spoke with management of the fish plant.

"There was basic breakdown in communication which could have been avoided and hopefully in the future will be avoided," said Burge.

Bill Morrissey, operations manager at North Lake Fisheries, told CBC that 15 temporary foreign workers remain employed at the fish plant. Seasonal slowdowns are typical in the fish processing sector, according to Morrissey. He said some of the workers did have previous experience in fish plants and should have been aware of this.

Protect the rights of workers

The company had expected to employ its temporary foreign workers for 40 hours a week, according to information from Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

The Cooper Institute is calling for changes to P.E.I.'s Employment Standards Act.

"We're very, very slack in the protection of the rights of temporary foreign workers," said Burge. "We're looking for legislation, good legislation that will protect the rights of workers."

Staff at the institutesay they will continue to meet with the remaining workers and with managers at North Lake Fisheries. The plant is located in the community of Eastern Kings, near Souris.

Staff from the Cooper Institute will also meetwith provincial officials in coming months to discuss changes to the Employment Standards Act, according to Burge.

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