Human Rights
Integrating immigrant workers
A long road ahead
The harmonious integration of immigrants in workplaces will only be achieved when proactive measures are adopted at both the political and corporate levels, according to PSAC National President Nycole Turmel.
Turmel was delivering an address at a conference called Integrating Immigrants: Building Partnerships that Work in Toronto. She stressed the fact that visible minority workers are still underrepresented in the federal public sector in spite of two-decade-old legislation and an initiative undertaken by the federal government in 1999 called Embracing Change, which required that one in five hires be from visible minority communities.
She said that the PSAC will continue its fight against discriminatory practices and barriers in the workplace in spite of a recent Supreme Court' decision to allow discrimination on the basis of citizenship during the hiring process for open competitions, even in cases where the candidate was already a federal public sector worker.
For Turmel, we need to re-evaluate our immigration policies to ensure that systemic and discriminatory barriers and practices are removed for newcomers and visible minorities. "All newcomers, regardless of race, should have a fair and just opportunity to benefit and fully participate in our workplaces and communities" she said.
She told the audience of her recent worksite visit to Lakeside Packers in Brooks, Alberta. The plant, where PSAC members work as meat inspectors, employs more than 2,000 production workers and more than half are racially visible immigrants.
"Yet, while they work at the plant," she said, "I didn't see a single racially visible plant worker in the town itself or in its stores or restaurants. Equally telling, was the fact that very few of the plant workers with supervisory responsibilities – let alone management responsibilities – were from racially visible communities."
For Turmel, the labour movement is very conscious of the fact that currently 75% of newcomers come from racialized communities and that the majority of new workers in the workforce will be immigrants who come from these communities.
Is Canadian society as conscious of that fact?
During the strike at the Lakeside Packers, members of the PSAC Local 30049 refused to cross the picket line because of an explosive situation and actions by CFIA management. The struggle earned the Local and its members the Prairie Voice Award. The presentation of the award was attended by PSAC National President Nycole Turmel and Agriculture Union President Yves Ducharme.
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