January 6, 2010

Letter to the editor

Undocumented workers must be protected by same laws that apply to Canadians

Re: Swing stage collapse underscores urgent need to share information (JOC, Jan. 6, 2010)

The unfortunate Christmas Eve tragedy in Toronto clearly illustrates the consequences that a policy vacuum can have on society which in this case, the worst possible scenario, the tragic loss of human life.

We at the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) have been at the forefront of this debate with proposals to address the crisis of undocumented workers and its effect on the underground economy.

What is clear is that these individuals have been the victims of government neglect; we at LIUNA have over the past four years submitted proposals and normalization plans along with labour organizations and community groups that would have addressed these gaps in public policy that directly affect the underground economy, undocumented workers and its abused victims.

LIUNA has the largest organizing department among building trades unions in North America, but despite our best efforts, it has become impossible to organize the restoration industry, simply because far too many of the workers in this industry are part of the underground economy and are working outside the legal framework of our safety and labour laws.

The climate of fear that is pervasive among undocumented workers is precisely the atmosphere that these contractors prey upon.

If we learn anything from this horrible tragedy it is that undocumented workers must be protected by the same laws and rules that apply to Canadian workers.

The only way to achieve this goal is for governments to act quickly to allow these workers to emerge from the dark shadows of exploitation under which they currently live.

Once again we at LIUNA appeal to both senior levels of government to work with us to bring about effective change to consider our reasonable proposals that in the end with normalize all workers’ rights from coast to coast to coast.

We at the leadership of LIUNA wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the families of the victims of this tragedy.

Cosmo Mannella

Director, LIUNA Canadian Tri-Fund

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