A major construction union is calling for a suspension of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program, citing the case of an Indonesian man who says he was exploited.
Ariefs, who Global News is not identifying because he fears retaliation for speaking out, came to Canada after seeing a job with Concord Wall Painting advertised in a YouTube ad.
He was hired to work on major public building expansions, including the Lions Gate and Royal Columbian hospitals.
“What attracted me was in Canada the opportunities are better than they are back home,” he told Global News.
He believed he’d be paid $23 per hour along with free accommodation, something he said turned out to be untrue.
The company, he alleged, demanded over $1,000 from every paycheque for room and board — in a house with eight other roommates — leaving him with just $650 per pay period.
“Every paycheque I have to give them back most of the money … I expected better here,” he said.
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Ariefs said he was also required to work up to 10 hours of unpaid overtime per week, many on his day off.
He added that at first he was afraid the company would be able to send him home if he raised concerns.
“At first I thought I could be easily deported by this company because they brought me here,” he said.
He said that changed when he met someone from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), which ultimately organized the worksite and is negotiating a contract.
The union was able to recover $13,000 in unpaid overtime for Ariefs and also helped him adjust his federal work permit to grant him more freedom.
“We were able to open up his closed work permit. So how he’s on an open work permit and he can work with any employer in the province of British Columbia for up to a year at this point,” said IUPAT District Council 38 business manager Dan Jajic.
But the union argues Ariefs’ case is far from unique and wants to see the temporary worker program frozen, pending an independent audit.
In particular, the union pointed to the use of employer-owned housing, which it said creates an unfair power imbalance and makes it hard for workers to speak out.
“It is rampant for abuse and I believe it is happening all over,” Jacic said.
“We want employers who are abusing these systems to know that there are penalties and you cannot get away stock-free.”
Concord Painting general manager Motor Ma declined an interview request but denied the allegations.
“Concord does not force workers to perform unpaid overtime work – if employees work overtime they are paid time and a half,” the statement read.
“It was always upfront… that accommodations, utilities, meals and transportation for work would be provided, but at fair market value.”
Ariefs said he’s now working for a new company, but agrees there need to be changes to the program.
“The Canadian government needs to be more selective for the employers,” he said.
“We all deserve better. We came here for a better life.”
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