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Solidarity with the Ramsook brothers
June 16 @ 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Garick and Ramesh Ramsook came to Canada with the hope of improving their lives and that of their families. They were employed by Polat Construction, a company located in the Ottawa area. The brothers worked to support Canada’s construction industry, a vital industry particularly during the current housing crisis that exists.
Employed under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program, they were subjected to wage theft, occupational hazards and workplace harassment. The Ramsook brothers, along with other migrant and Canadian workers organized their workplace with the Carpenters Union. Shortly thereafter, the workers were terminated. Since their termination, the workers have endured hardship.
This, however, is not a story of migrants falling through the cracks. Four migrant workers, including the Ramsook brothers, filed successful applications with the Ministry of Labour alleging wage theft under the Employment Standards Act. Across the province of Ontario under the Ford government, the province has failed to enforce decisions of the Ministry of Labour to the tune of over $60 million dollars. Polat Construction was found guilty and compelled to return
over $140,000 in wages.
The Ramsook brothers have appealed part of the decision to the OLRB to request further remedies and are awaiting a decision regarding their appeal.
The federal government has found that Polat Construction violated the rules of the TFW program. Currently the employer is on the feds’ non-compliant list. The company was fined $161,000 with a five-year ban from employing temporary foreign workers. Despite these stiff penalties, the federal government has failed to enforce monetary penalties for non-compliance, to the tune of 40% or $4.5 million dollars since 2017.
The Ramsook brothers have decided to return home. Both the provincial and federal government have failed them. To honour their courage, sacrifices, and their demand for dignity, fairness and respect, we would like to invite you for a discussion and fundraiser to show solidarity with these comrades.
Registration: https://forms.gle/
Zoom link for meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/