Abuse of OFWs in Canada makes the news

MANILA, Philippines—A Canadian news service has exposed the maltreatment of four overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at a fastfood restaurant in Manitoba province.

An Oct. 6 CBC News report monitored by the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila detailed the plight of Glen Syping, Imelda Campecino, Mercedes Comia and Alan Acar, who said they were not given health care coverage and reimbursement of their airfare to Canada by their employer, Jordan Trotter.

They said that Trotter threatened to dismiss them and send them home if they missed a shift.

Edda Pangilinan, Filipino honorary consul in Manitoba, urged the four OFWs to file formal charges.

“I am really surprised this is happening in our country, especially here in Manitoba. And I’m sure these people from the Philippines, they don’t know their rights,” Pangilinan was quoted as saying in the report.

The four came to Canada with the assistance of an immigration consultant in neighboring Saskatchewan province. They first worked at a Wendy’s outlet in Saskatchewan’s capital, Regina, but were later transferred to another branch in the city of Brandon in southern Manitoba.

CBC said that since it began its investigation, Trotter had reimbursed the OFWs’ airfare and the medical bills of one them.

The news network said that the four had left Wendy’s and were currently working at a McDonald’s outlet in Thompson, a city north of Manitoba’s capital Winnipeg.

The CBC quoted Manitoba Labor Minister Nancy Allan as saying that the provincial government had helped the Filipinos recover unauthorized deductions and unpaid wages as well as overtime, holiday and vacation pay.

In April, the Manitoba legislative assembly passed laws safeguarding the ethical and professional treatment of temporary foreign workers in the province. -Jerome Aning, Philippine Daily Inquirer