Sorry...need to vent...about immigrants!

OH and I moved from England to Ontario in 2006. I'm Canadian-born, but spent more of my life in England than Canada.

I started working on a team full of immigrants (coincidentally). We have 2 people from Bangladesh, 3 from China and 1 from Poland. Normally not a big deal, apart from the fact that apart from the Polish guy who has been here since childhood, everyone else's English is hit and miss, and there are daily struggles to understand and make yourself understood (yes, I realise the guy worked for IBM in Beijing for 8 years, but if he can't explain himself or understand everyone else, what good is he?).

So we're in the middle of some major projects at work that will result on whether or not we will be licenced in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario (so nothing major!). I was somewhat surprised to see that I am heavily involved in every single one of them, while the rest of my team are not involved in any. I pointed out that in order to do the workload they want me to, I will have to work 7 days a week for the next 3 months. I'm told yes, my managers are aware of that, and they will give me time off in lieu at the end of it. I asked why I have been given so much work when the rest of my team are sitting around doing nothing. The response was because there is a large amount of documentation required, they only trust it to someone whose English is at a fluent level.

OK...so this is reverse racism by my standpoint. I am supposed to do the work of an entire TEAM of people, because my boss decided to hire people who can't communicate efficiently in English, but we're all paid the same? How does THAT work?

It's things like this that make me wish that non-English or French speakers were forced to pass a language test before immigration. Sorry if I offend anyone, but I need to vent! :curse:

Now where have I heard that before - Oh, that's right - England

Is there not a way you can say nicely to your boss what you outlined above. No-one can expect someone to work 7 days for 3 months thats just slave labour.

Unless you asked to get paid a share of their wages too!!!

Sorry no stirling advice but I would be angry too.

I don't see why you're venting about 'immigrants'. It's your boss and/or managers that seem be the problem, to me.

Also, it could be that those 'immigrants' are angry that Ms Anglophone gets to do more of the project work in lieu of time off while they're stuck with their thumbs up their wahoos, not given the chance to learn/practice because they are not trusted. Or maybe not; just a different perspective.

Actually, they have a pretty sweet deal, and will do everything they can to avoid work (they've refused projects because they don't like them in the past). I understand what you're saying, what it all boils down to is that the hiring and management practices at my place suck, but when the excuse given is because they don't speak English (which I admit isn't their fault, I wouldn't want to try to move to China or Bangladesh and try to work!), and they learn to use that as an excuse ("I don't want to do that project because I don't understand it, but this cushy one that will get me loads of attention and praise I understand perfectly") etc.

Uh, unless they arrived family class, surely they _were_ forced to pass a language test before immigration?

Who is they? The people you're working with, or all non-English speaking in general? Personally I think work avoidance is a highly commendable skill.

Hardly a team player there Bazzzz.

As a project manager my advice would be to hit them squarely in the old wallet, and say:

"time off in lieu doesn't cut it, I will like double time for weekends please and overtime for past normal working hours. Plus 1 day time off in lieu for every week worked in this crazy pressure cooker project, thank you".

If you are so essential to the project you are in a strong bargaining position, so go for their wallet. It is amazing how financial penalty focuses management thoughts of other ways to achieve the goal. Especially if they think they are paying twice for the same work.

But be sure before putting into the writing Eengleesh that you are properly the spellings and whatnots, cor blimey innit.



R.

Bloody immigrants. They come over here, steal our jobs, then have the temerity to complain because they don't like the way things are done over here. If they hate it so much they should go back to where they came from.

Actually, I did

Having been an immigrant myself (and treated horribly because of it), and now with my husband as the immigrant, we have both found that you have to work twice as hard to prove yourself "worthy" in your host country. My problem is the specific immigrants that I work with believe that Canada (and the company) should provide them everything on a silver platter without putting any effort in themselves, such as attempting to learn the language, and I wind up suffering because of it.

Went through the same thing in England - worked damn hard to get my citizenship, and on the way out of the council building I was the only one who actually walked straight out of the building (I had to go back to work). Everyone else then walked into the benefits office to sign up.

Maybe it's more down to work ethic of specific people/cultures.

If the others in your office have refused to work on projects before then why can't you refuse to work overtime on this one??

I think it is because she doesnt have the 'excuse' that she doesnt speak English - which is what the other workers are using as a reason not to be able to do the project

Yawwwwnnnnnnn

Surely you meant to quote the original post there?