The real job bank

I don’t know. I just don’t know. On a cold, early spring day, the Royal Bank of Canada fills out a pile of Records of Employment for 45 of their Canadian staff, probably using Reason “K” because we know it isn’t Reason “A”, for issuing the documents. Then RBC human resource officials turn on their golden heels and hire foreign workers as replacements for their Canadian staff. There obviously wasn’t any shortage of work. In this economy, only the foolhardy quit a job. A labour dispute or a lockout, I don’t think so. No reports of illness, injury, paternity or maternity. Definitely the reason for issuing those Records was a “K” or “other” and one can only guess what the HR person put in the “explain here” box. But, to add insult to injury (although there wasn’t a physical injury) the 45 Canadians, ROEs in hand, must train their foreign worker replacements. Pardon me but, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

So, more insult and injury, last week Stephen Harper had the nerve to say the federal government will now investigate the Royal Bank’s human resource practices regarding the hiring of foreign workers. Really? Let me see, if I’m not mistaken, and I don’t think I am, the federal government is the author and enabler of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It isn’t a scheme RBC cooked up—although, banks do cook up some serious ca ca. It is the federal government that allows companies like the Royal Bank of Canada to hire foreign agricultural workers, foreign live-in caregivers, foreign lower-skilled occupation workers and foreign higher-skilled occupation workers.

HRSDC/Services Canada (that’s the Government of Canada, by the way) is entirely responsible for assessing all of the applications from employers, like the Royal Bank of Canada, who are requesting permission to hire temporary foreign workers. It is the federal government which then issues a Labour Market Opinion based on the application submitted by companies like the Royal Bank of Canada on the likely impact these TFW’s would have on the Canadian job market. An employer must, in their application—to the federal government— for temporary foreign workers, demonstrate they’ve made an attempt to recruit suitable Canadian or Permanent Residents and were unsuccessful. Successful applicants—like the Royal Bank of Canada’s—to the TFW program would be required to demonstrate to Stephen’s federal government HRSDC/Services Canada staff they have advertised those positions in newspapers, in professional publications and on Internet job posting sites. Successful applicants would also have to demonstrate there is a labour market shortage of skilled applicants and the hiring of a foreign worker would fill the gap. And on, and on.

I’m not stupid. You’re not stupid. I know a stinking pile of poli-poo when I see it. I know the Royal Bank of Canada isn’t without fault and I know Stephen Harper needs a better “handler”—perhaps a temporary foreign worker used to dealing with idiots. Stephen Harper shouldn’t be telling us the Royal Bank didn’t know of the rules and regulations— which, by the way, are far more extensive than I’ve outlined. Not knowing the rights, the obligations, the rules and regulations doesn’t wash with everyday workers and it shouldn’t wash with RBC. The application for a TFW/LMO clearly states, “Completion is voluntary; however, failure to complete this form will result in your request for a Labour Market Opinion not being processed.”

No Labour Market Opinion means no chance of getting a foreign worker. Well that’s what it means to the average employer. But, obviously not for a great, big chartered bank. So, what’s an LMO? Well, in a nutshell, it demonstrates that there isn’t a Canadian worker or Canadian Permanent Resident available who has the skills to do the job being offered. Obviously, in the case of the Royal Bank of Canada, there happened to be 45 people who were capable of doing those 45 jobs. Someone just forgot to tell them to look in the classifieds or the federal job bank.

theresa@wellingtontimes.ca