lilbiteb

Sorry for the long post but I really need to share this and hopefully get some advice/opinions.

I've been here for four months now on a two year Work Permit with a large Canadian fast food chain that's open 24 hours. I'm living with my fiance. When I got here I was given all different shifts to work so I explained that my son is disabled and that I really would prefer regular shifts most of the time if possible. They agreed and all was ok for the first couple of months.

Since then they've had a whole bunch of workers from an asian country arrive (I was the first of the workers on an LMO).

I requested a particular day off last month as my daughter had a hospital appointment. I gave a months notice of the appointment and it was at first denied with just a couple of days notice. After explaining why I needed to take her to the hospital they allowed the day off. But .. it was made clear to me that by being there I was stopping them from getting another Asian worker and that I should be grateful for the job and that actually I wasn't really allowed to request days off anyway.

I was really upset as when I initially had the interview I was told that time off for holidays etc. wouldn't be an issue, within reason.

I had also asked for another day in December for an important family get together (meeting new relatives for the first time!). This one had two months notice and at the last minute another worker asked for the day off and got it, I found out three days before when the schedule was put up. Again I went to a different owner and was told that there was no way that he'd change it. I got the same thing that I should be grateful and that if I kept wanting to change the schedule I'd be put on nights. Just what I need with a disabled daughter eh?

Today it's happened again. My sister is arriving from England next week for a four day visit and I've been told that I can't have any time off during her visit. I emailed the owner yesterday but had no reply so I called today to explain how important this is to me. I was told that in the company I'm the lowest of the low when it comes to the schedule with pretty much everyone else having priority. I was also told that they'd perfer another Asian worker as they don't have family here so are available to work any shift. The owner seems to dislike it that I have a life outside work.

I'm just so upset now and shocked. I work hard, have never been late or caused any problems, I'm cheery and positive and don't complain when all the other staff are moaning. I've never has any issues at work in England, always being respected and treated with fondness. I'm committed to the job for two years and have been determind to make the most of the experience!

So ... now i have to find another job that has a LMO and I have no idea how to do it in such a small town. My head is spinning a bit and because I was so distressed leaving work tonight I fell over on the ice ans bruised my knees ... sheesh.

ann m

I'm sorry to hear of your woes - I won't respond fully - but just wonder if you could get a job at another branch of the chain? Are they owner-owned franchise operations or are they manager run ? I appreciate there may only be once branch in Canmore - are there other branches locally-ish (ie, have we got one at Cochrane?!) and can an LMO be changed to another location but technically the same employer?

Sounds like they just want more of their 'own' workers ?

Good luck ....

dingbat

LMO for a fast food restaurant? Erm...sounds like they needed to legitimize LMO requirements for a planned influx of certain workers, and you were the least suspicious test bunny.

cov-canuck

I'm confused...in a previous post you said that you had one son, who has very mild austism. Now you keep mentioning your daughter? And you got LMO for a fast food chain? It just doesn't make sense to me. Sorry, I must not be following here...

lilbiteb

Lol ... I'm trying to be discreet and anonymous ... shhh.

Canmore is a small town and you never know. The work thing is as it happened though.

Oh and yes, I did get an LMO for a fast food place.

fledermaus

Where I work your schedule can be changed at very short notice unless you have booked vacation time and you aren't able to take any vacation until you have been employed a year. Then there is seniority, ie those who have been there longer than you get first shout at picking the vacation time.

sas-lou

I was under the impression that ethnic minorities tend to flock to major cities ..

Please correct me..

Purley

Yes, to me it sounds like you have got it right. They like the Asian workers because they have no relatives and no life out of work. So they are trying to shove you out. Don't know the LMO rules though so I can't be any help. But I sounds like a shi**y position to be in - so all I can do is sympathize.

triumphguy

What's anyone's ethnicity got to do with this? It's about being treated fairly. Is "English" being part of an ethinc group? Do we "flock" to certain parts?

If the OP is being treated unfairly in a small business, even if it's part of a large chain, there are no easy answers. The bottom line for 7-11/Macs type businesses is the bottom line, and they are as unfair to their franchisees as the employers are being to the OP. There will be no help from head office. And Canmore is a small town, so there's not much scope there. Furthermore, don't be jealous of the new people coming in -they'll just end up labour fodder too!

I don't know much about LMO, but maybe you'll have to move to a larger centre - Calgary for example.

Good luck -sorry can't help.

sas-lou

Wooooo.

Back off buddy .. i wasn't the one that mentioned Asians he/she did. I was just asking a question that's all..

scrubbedexpat091

In Alberta companies have been bringing in foreign workers to fill very basic service jobs, when I was there in 2006 the hotel I worked at started bringing over workers from India to fill house keeping positions since we were not able to fill them with Canadians due to the labor shortage.

triumphguy

It was a dumb question!

sas-lou

It was a dumb question to you .. I was asking a genuine question ..

Please feel free to tell me what questions i must be asking .. get off your high horse .. oh righteous one ..

macadian

Or onto his shiny motorcycle...

triumphguy

You are wrong. Now you stand corrected.