Notley intervenes in South African firefighter pay dispute

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Premier Rachel Notley is promising that South African firefighters who stopped working in a fight over their pay level will be compensated in accordance with Alberta labour laws.

Notley said Thursday the Alberta government had thought the contract negotiated with the firefighters to help battle the Fort McMurray wildfire would allow them to earn acceptable levels of pay. She was "disturbed" to hear that had not happened.

About 300 firefighters involved in the wage dispute ceased working Wednesday and Thursday due to the wage issue.

While they continue to receive their regular pay from South Africa, the contract for their work in Alberta is for $50 a day for 12-hour shifts, or just over $4 an hour. The Alberta minimum wage is $11.20 an hour. Accommodation and food is being covered by the Canadian authorities.

In order to work in Alberta the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) put out a tender to which the South African program Working on Fire made a successful bid.

While Notley said the dispute is between the firefighters and the South African government, she said she would be taking steps to intervene.

"The fact of the matter is that it's not acceptable to me and my government that we would have people working for wages in our province that do not align with our labour laws," said Notley.

The premier said she has asked ministry officials to resolve the matter.

"I can say right now that every hour that every firefighter from South Africa or anywhere else has worked on these fires will be compensated in accordance with our laws in this province," she said.

The contract accepted by CIFFC is then paid by Alberta.

Notley said she will direct government officials to ensure that any further contracts with agencies from outside Alberta will have to meet the minimum standards of Alberta law.

The $50 a day is considered a per diem by Working on Fire.

Back in South Africa, the firefighters wages range from about 2,400 rand a month (the equivalent of $205 Cdn) to 14,000 rand (about $1,200 Cdn) for a crew leader.

According to a government website, a typical firefighter in the province makes around $30 an hour.

While Notley said the dispute is between the firefighters and the South African government, she said she would be taking steps to intervene.

"The fact of the matter is that it's not acceptable to me and my government that we would have people working for wages in our province that do not align with our labour laws," said Notley.


Rachel Notley intervenes in South African firefighter pay dispute - Edmonton - CBC News

 

[B00Mer]

:canada: Go Canada - We Rock!!

 

[tay]

A South African firefighting agency has apologized to Canada and promised an investigation after a pay dispute led to a strike by 300 firefighters who are battling the blaze near Fort McMurray.

But the agency isn’t yet ready to comment on allegations by Alberta Premier Rachel Notley that it violated Alberta’s labour law by paying below the minimum wage.

The agency, Working on Fire, is paying a daily allowance of $15 to the 300 South African firefighters who arrived in Alberta last month, plus a further $35 for each day worked after their mission is over, along with their regular South African wages of about $200 a month.

But this is far below the Alberta minimum wage of $11.20 per hour, and Ms. Notley said she is disturbed by the discrepancy. She vowed that they will be paid at least the legal minimum.

The South African agency, which receives government funds to provide firefighting jobs for 5,000 young people, said the 300 firefighters had signed formal contracts accepting the $50 daily allowance.

“To have a dispute about remuneration, and to be accused of being unfair towards our people, is a direct contradiction of our company values,” the agency said in a statement on Friday.

“We are extremely disappointed that we couldn’t resolve this internally before it escalated to become an international incident. We are currently investigating the matter internally and wish to apologize to both the Canadian government and Canadian citizens for any inconvenience this may have caused. We are treating this matter with the utmost importance and are committed to finding an amicable solution.”

The agency said its overseas firefighting missions have “never been about making money.” It did not comment, however, on Ms. Notley’s complaint that it was paying below the minimum wage.

After less than a week on the job, the firefighters went on strike Wednesday in a pay dispute with their South African employer. All of the firefighters have been “demobilized” since the strike, and some or all of them will be flown home, their managers say.

The firefighters arrived in Canada last month, singing and dancing as they landed at Edmonton airport, gaining media attention across Canada and internationally.

Now they’re angry that they are receiving the small allowance during their Canadian deployment, in addition to their South African salaries, despite promises of additional money.

In Calgary on Thursday, Ms. Notley said the firefighters need to be paid at least the minimum required by Alberta law. She said the province is paying $170 daily for each South African firefighter, as well as providing food, accommodation and travel costs.

South African firefighting agency apologizes to Canada for pay dispute, walkout - The Globe and Mail

So why aren't Canadians being used to fight this fire?


Alberta has high unemployment and likely many would jump at the chance to make the Canadian wages.


But I suppose it's not unlike the 1000s of construction jobs throughout canada being filled by foreign workers at wages well below via the TFW program......