At least 20 foreign workers who were recruited to Saskatchewan with a promise of a better life have been unexpectedly laid off.
Construction firm PCL has told Global News that 20 Irish pipefitters have be let go from their jobs at Agrium’s potash mine southwest of Saskatoon. The workers were hired after a major recruiting drive attended by Premier Brad Wall and a number of Saskatchewan companies.
PCL spokesperson Mike Long says that workers are typically recruited about three to six months in advance, and the company did not foresee recent changes to the work schedule. He also says that there will be jobs elsewhere for those laid off.
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“While there was an issue with this project in terms of the timing and the phasing and the staging of the work that we’re doing there, there were and are other opportunities elsewhere,” Long says.
The province says it has been in discussions with both PCL and the workers themselves in an effort to find them employment.
“The government of Saskatchewan will step forward to ensure we’ve done everything we can,” said Energy and Resources Minister Tim McMillan. “In this case it’s worked out pretty well. There are multiple job offers potentially coming to each of these employees,”
Saskatchewan’s opposition NDP says the number of employees laid off is higher than PCL and the government is reporting. The party says it has spoken to 24 workers who are now out of work.
“These families and their children were promised by the Sask. Party a better life here,” NDP critic for immigration Cam Broten said in a release.
“They were promised a fast-track through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program and they were promised up to three years of work. They signed leases on homes and vehicles and set up their lives in Saskatoon only to be betrayed.”
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