According to Nelson, a staff meeting was called on March 4 where they were informed there would be a change in operations, and that she would be getting a letter outlining the reason, and the temporary foreign workers were to get a different letter. Her letter spelled out that due to the change in operations, all of the employees were being dismissed, but she found out later that some of the temporary foreign workers were rehired.
“I read the letter, and I was in shock. I had no questions at the time; after this many years as an employee, you’re not expecting this as something they have to do. I thought this is not going to be a problem,” said Nelson, noting she then worked out her last two weeks of employment.
The first change in her position came in January; her normal shift was from 4 p.m. to closing, but then her shift was shortened by an hour a day to 5 p.m. until closing.
“When I asked why, I was told the restaurant wasn’t busy enough to have two people on at 4, and the temporary foreign worker needed her 40 hours, so she was given the 4-to-closing shift,” said Nelson.
She was offered possible part-time hours working at banquets, but she said they know she would rather have her full-time position.
Jennison-Yung said when she received her letter, she went to one of her employers and demanded to know what was going on.
“I had a confrontation with one of my bosses and I ended up quitting. He basically told me I should go work somewhere else. Sandy was dismissed, and she worked out her last two weeks and was told to go on unemployment, and maybe in the future she might get some hours,” said Jennison-Yung. “I got into trouble with them when I questioned one of the bosses, ‘what was going on? Who’s going to be working my position?’”
She added both she and Sandy were longtime employees who were both told “we would always have a job there, we were family, and they couldn’t run the place without us. It was such a ridiculous situation, they were changing their business hours.”
She said she understood under the Temporary Foreign Worker program, they could only fill a position that could not be filled by a Canadian worker.
“They get 40 hours and they’re still employed, and we’re not,” said Jennison-Yung. “The only Canadians working there now are part-time; the only full-time positions are filled by foreign workers.”
Former workers claim unfair treatment | Local News | Weyburn Review, Weyburn, SK