McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
Apr 7th 2014, 1:17 am
#1
slanderer of the innocent
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Location: Vancouver, BC
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McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...98684?cmp=fbtl
McDonald’s is under federal investigation over possible abuses of the Temporary Foreign Worker program at a franchise outlet in B.C.
"The pattern is that the temporary foreign workers are getting more shifts and that the Canadians are getting less,” said employee Kalen Christ, a McDonald’s "team leader" who has worked at the Victoria location for four years.
McDonald’s is under federal investigation over possible abuses of the Temporary Foreign Worker program at a franchise outlet in B.C.
"The pattern is that the temporary foreign workers are getting more shifts and that the Canadians are getting less,” said employee Kalen Christ, a McDonald’s "team leader" who has worked at the Victoria location for four years.
Apr 7th 2014, 1:42 am
#2
Nuther day in paradise.ca
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Ajax, Ontario
Posts: 7,263
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
This is good yeh? Or was good, until they was grassed on by a pissed employee !!
Apr 7th 2014, 7:45 am
#3
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Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
For feet's sake, I really don't need the fast food industry coming under extra scrutiny right now as I'm waiting on an LMO that's set to be decided upon this week or the next.
Apr 7th 2014, 8:43 am
#4
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Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
Not really a surprise there. Its pretty clear to me fast food franchises are abusing the system.
I think its time to totally remove fast food, and other low skilled jobs from the program, and just force the owners to pay more so they can get more locals. Its not really a lack of available workers that I see, but a lack of workers willing to work for the low wages and excessive demands of these places.
Make them raise their pay, and then they will get local workers just fine.
Going rate for low skilled jobs around here is 11.50-12/hr roughly, pay any lower and you wont find staff.
I've been sending resumes to the local coffee chain that is wide spread in Canada and starts with a T and last name with an H as has my girlfriend who has experience in food service and is no way over qualified, for nearly a year now and neither of us have gotten a response, and I suspect the local franchise has a good chunk of foreign employees working.
I am not sure why the program exists to provide workers to employers who just want cheap labor and nothing more, it seems pretty easy for employers to get approval for foreign workers.
I think its time to totally remove fast food, and other low skilled jobs from the program, and just force the owners to pay more so they can get more locals. Its not really a lack of available workers that I see, but a lack of workers willing to work for the low wages and excessive demands of these places.
Make them raise their pay, and then they will get local workers just fine.
Going rate for low skilled jobs around here is 11.50-12/hr roughly, pay any lower and you wont find staff.
I've been sending resumes to the local coffee chain that is wide spread in Canada and starts with a T and last name with an H as has my girlfriend who has experience in food service and is no way over qualified, for nearly a year now and neither of us have gotten a response, and I suspect the local franchise has a good chunk of foreign employees working.
I am not sure why the program exists to provide workers to employers who just want cheap labor and nothing more, it seems pretty easy for employers to get approval for foreign workers.
Last edited by scrubbedexpat091; Apr 7th 2014 at 8:46 am.
Apr 7th 2014, 2:25 pm
#5
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Joined: Sep 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 2,481
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
Given that the LMO should only be provided when there isn't a "local" available or skilled to do the job then I'd be concerned at the fact any LMOs are issued for this sort of work.
There are certainly enough people to do the work. Having done it myself I know that certain skills and attributes are required to do it and that most people are capable of carrying it out.
There are certainly enough people to do the work. Having done it myself I know that certain skills and attributes are required to do it and that most people are capable of carrying it out.
Apr 7th 2014, 2:45 pm
#6
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,009
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...98684?cmp=fbtl
McDonald’s is under federal investigation over possible abuses of the Temporary Foreign Worker program at a franchise outlet in B.C.
"The pattern is that the temporary foreign workers are getting more shifts and that the Canadians are getting less,” said employee Kalen Christ, a McDonald’s "team leader" who has worked at the Victoria location for four years.
McDonald’s is under federal investigation over possible abuses of the Temporary Foreign Worker program at a franchise outlet in B.C.
"The pattern is that the temporary foreign workers are getting more shifts and that the Canadians are getting less,” said employee Kalen Christ, a McDonald’s "team leader" who has worked at the Victoria location for four years.
I wouldn't say that McDonald's is being investigated, I would say that that particular franchise is. Since they are independently owned, this is down to the owner, not the corporation.
Apr 7th 2014, 3:00 pm
#7
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 440
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
Not really a surprise there. Its pretty clear to me fast food franchises are abusing the system.
I think its time to totally remove fast food, and other low skilled jobs from the program, and just force the owners to pay more so they can get more locals. Its not really a lack of available workers that I see, but a lack of workers willing to work for the low wages and excessive demands of these places.
Make them raise their pay, and then they will get local workers just fine.
Going rate for low skilled jobs around here is 11.50-12/hr roughly, pay any lower and you wont find staff.
I've been sending resumes to the local coffee chain that is wide spread in Canada and starts with a T and last name with an H as has my girlfriend who has experience in food service and is no way over qualified, for nearly a year now and neither of us have gotten a response, and I suspect the local franchise has a good chunk of foreign employees working.
I am not sure why the program exists to provide workers to employers who just want cheap labor and nothing more, it seems pretty easy for employers to get approval for foreign workers.
I think its time to totally remove fast food, and other low skilled jobs from the program, and just force the owners to pay more so they can get more locals. Its not really a lack of available workers that I see, but a lack of workers willing to work for the low wages and excessive demands of these places.
Make them raise their pay, and then they will get local workers just fine.
Going rate for low skilled jobs around here is 11.50-12/hr roughly, pay any lower and you wont find staff.
I've been sending resumes to the local coffee chain that is wide spread in Canada and starts with a T and last name with an H as has my girlfriend who has experience in food service and is no way over qualified, for nearly a year now and neither of us have gotten a response, and I suspect the local franchise has a good chunk of foreign employees working.
I am not sure why the program exists to provide workers to employers who just want cheap labor and nothing more, it seems pretty easy for employers to get approval for foreign workers.
Not all fast food places are facing worker shortages because the owners are greedy or want (or possibly even need) cheap labor. I think the other equally important (if not more important) reason why nobody wants to work at McDonald's is because it's the job that everybody looks down on and laughs at. Even customers are rude to you on a somewhat regular basis and I have in the past, witnessed customers being rude or overheard employees talking about how they hate dealing with rude customers.
I've even met people who'd rather go hungry before they'd be caught dead working at McDonald's simply because they're afraid of the social stigma from all sorts of people (friends, family, random people on the street, customers, etc). Even one of my Canadian friends expressed deep concern at the prospect of me working at "McDonald's" (not the actual fast-food place I'm waiting on) for 2+ years in order to gain permanent residency.
In all honesty, I don't give a flying toss what anybody thinks of me for working in fast food. But I guess that I really shouldn't complain. I'd have no way of immigrating to Canada if it wasn't for this attitude creating a demand for food counter attendants.
Apr 7th 2014, 3:31 pm
#8
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Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
Are you sure that's enough money to attract staff? That's exactly what my fast food job (which is currently pending an LMO) is paying. Some restaurants have genuine labor shortages, especially if they're located in extremely rural areas or mining towns. But I have come across some that pay wages that are at or just marginally above minimum wage. In my job search, I usually found that those offering lower wages tended to be not-very-nice people (who are probably abusing the system), although there are a few exceptions.
Not all fast food places are facing worker shortages because the owners are greedy or want (or possibly even need) cheap labor. I think the other equally important (if not more important) reason why nobody wants to work at McDonald's is because it's the job that everybody looks down on and laughs at. Even customers are rude to you on a somewhat regular basis and I have in the past, witnessed customers being rude or overheard employees talking about how they hate dealing with rude customers.
I've even met people who'd rather go hungry before they'd be caught dead working at McDonald's simply because they're afraid of the social stigma from all sorts of people (friends, family, random people on the street, customers, etc). Even one of my Canadian friends expressed deep concern at the prospect of me working at "McDonald's" (not the actual fast-food place I'm waiting on) for 2+ years in order to gain permanent residency.
In all honesty, I don't give a flying toss what anybody thinks of me for working in fast food. But I guess that I really shouldn't complain. I'd have no way of immigrating to Canada if it wasn't for this attitude creating a demand for food counter attendants.
Not all fast food places are facing worker shortages because the owners are greedy or want (or possibly even need) cheap labor. I think the other equally important (if not more important) reason why nobody wants to work at McDonald's is because it's the job that everybody looks down on and laughs at. Even customers are rude to you on a somewhat regular basis and I have in the past, witnessed customers being rude or overheard employees talking about how they hate dealing with rude customers.
I've even met people who'd rather go hungry before they'd be caught dead working at McDonald's simply because they're afraid of the social stigma from all sorts of people (friends, family, random people on the street, customers, etc). Even one of my Canadian friends expressed deep concern at the prospect of me working at "McDonald's" (not the actual fast-food place I'm waiting on) for 2+ years in order to gain permanent residency.
In all honesty, I don't give a flying toss what anybody thinks of me for working in fast food. But I guess that I really shouldn't complain. I'd have no way of immigrating to Canada if it wasn't for this attitude creating a demand for food counter attendants.
I am sure, my employer starts at 11.50-12/hr and we don't have an issue attracting people, there is always a steady stream of resumes and people wanting to work there. I am in a hotel and not even our housekeeping department has issues with finding staff, but no position pays under 11.50/hr.
We had to up the wage however, but that is how it should be. Can't attract employees at 10.25, up the wage to a level that will attract employees.
I posted an ad at 11pm last night for an open position we have 11.75.hr and as of now 8:30am, I have received 33 resumes, so clearly the pay is in an acceptable range for this area.
Rude customers come with the territory in any service job, isn't unique to fast food.
Apr 7th 2014, 3:46 pm
#9
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,185
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
I am sure, my employer starts at 11.50-12/hr and we don't have an issue attracting people, there is always a steady stream of resumes and people wanting to work there. I am in a hotel and not even our housekeeping department has issues with finding staff, but no position pays under 11.50/hr.
We had to up the wage however, but that is how it should be. Can't attract employees at 10.25, up the wage to a level that will attract employees.
I posted an ad at 11pm last night for an open position we have 11.75.hr and as of now 8:30am, I have received 33 resumes, so clearly the pay is in an acceptable range for this area.
Rude customers come with the territory in any service job, isn't unique to fast food.
We had to up the wage however, but that is how it should be. Can't attract employees at 10.25, up the wage to a level that will attract employees.
I posted an ad at 11pm last night for an open position we have 11.75.hr and as of now 8:30am, I have received 33 resumes, so clearly the pay is in an acceptable range for this area.
Rude customers come with the territory in any service job, isn't unique to fast food.
Apr 7th 2014, 4:05 pm
#10
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Joined: Sep 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 2,481
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
Its way too much to pay when you're trying to run a fast food restaurant. It should only be $9.00. But then I think the very notion of minimum wage policy is flawed. Let the market decide the right equilibrium point for each industry otherwise its just silly conjecture as to the right amount.
You walk into McDs and buy your regular Big Mac meal and it'll be about $8 or thereabouts. And you think that paying the people $10-12 an hour is too much?
Employers should pay at least a living wage. That should be determined each year rather than a "minimum wage".
Having worked in a McDonalds, there is no shortage of money to pay the staff. I counted more money into the safe, at the end of one single eight hour shift, than I'd be paid for two years of work. The people in charge know this...why do you think these sorts of places are open 24/7/365. Many don't even close on Christmas. Plenty of profits to be made every minute of every day.
Sure, it was great to get paid 50 cents an hour extra to work a night shift. Why have a good nights sleep or get to spend time with your family or friends when you could be in proud possession of an extra $4 for your toil. And it was "well worth it" to get like another 40 cents an hour to be the first-rung-up-from-the-bottom-"manager". The difference was having to wear a shirt and tie and basically getting shouted at by everyone lol.
Unsurprisingly the "Boss" had a rather nice Porsche and his wife, who in fairness even showed up occasionally to work the fries station (presumably to keep an eye on the proles!) had a lovely BMW 4x4 with all the bells and whistles.
A few months working there would make anyone a socialist.
Last edited by orly; Apr 7th 2014 at 4:10 pm.
Apr 7th 2014, 4:14 pm
#11
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,185
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
What?
You walk into McDs and buy your regular Big Mac meal and it'll be about $8 or thereabouts. And you think that paying the people $10-12 an hour is too much?
Employers should pay at least a living wage. That should be determined each year rather than a "minimum wage".
Having worked in a McDonalds, there is no shortage of money to pay the staff. I counted more money into the safe, at the end of one single eight hour shift, than I'd be paid for two years of work. The people in charge know this...why do you think these sorts of places are open 24/7/365. Many don't even close on Christmas. Plenty of profits to be made every minute of every day.
Sure, it was great to get paid 50 cents an hour extra to work a night shift. And it was "well worth it" to get like another 40 cents an hour to be the first-rung-up-from-the-bottom-"manager". The difference was having to wear a shirt and tie and basically getting shouted at by everyone lol.
Unsurprisingly the "Boss" had a rather nice Porsche and his wife, who in fairness even showed up occasionally to work the fries station (presumably to keep an eye on the proles!) had a lovely BMW 4x4 with all the bells and whistles.
A few months working there would make anyone a socialist.
You walk into McDs and buy your regular Big Mac meal and it'll be about $8 or thereabouts. And you think that paying the people $10-12 an hour is too much?
Employers should pay at least a living wage. That should be determined each year rather than a "minimum wage".
Having worked in a McDonalds, there is no shortage of money to pay the staff. I counted more money into the safe, at the end of one single eight hour shift, than I'd be paid for two years of work. The people in charge know this...why do you think these sorts of places are open 24/7/365. Many don't even close on Christmas. Plenty of profits to be made every minute of every day.
Sure, it was great to get paid 50 cents an hour extra to work a night shift. And it was "well worth it" to get like another 40 cents an hour to be the first-rung-up-from-the-bottom-"manager". The difference was having to wear a shirt and tie and basically getting shouted at by everyone lol.
Unsurprisingly the "Boss" had a rather nice Porsche and his wife, who in fairness even showed up occasionally to work the fries station (presumably to keep an eye on the proles!) had a lovely BMW 4x4 with all the bells and whistles.
A few months working there would make anyone a socialist.
Apr 7th 2014, 4:16 pm
#12
The ride never ends
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 2,481
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
$8.00 for a naffing big mac meal is outrageous. Go down to the US, you can get one $3.50 or less on special. Its the richest country in the world for a reason, its economy is flexible and unrestrained by artificially inflating wages. Anyway its mostly only high school students with part-time jobs who work in fast food places anyway. Its just extra pocket money to them.
Apr 7th 2014, 4:26 pm
#13
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,185
Re: McDonald's accused of favouring foreign workers
If you measure the economy by GDP, whether its the IMF, World Bank or UN's calculation, the US is the richest economy. What's your point?
