SOMEBODY OUGHT TO BUILD A WALL

P.E.I. plant imports Russian workers (Quentin Casey, National Post, March 8th, 2006)

A Prince Edward Island seafood plant has imported workers from Russia and Ukraine to staff its processing facility after it was unable to find enough local residents willing to go on its payroll.

Last Monday, the Ocean Choice PEI plant in Souris, 80 kilometres east of Charlottetown, brought in 19 Russian workers. Twenty Ukrainians are expected to arrive this week. They will help fill the need for 50 new workers.

"We're making every effort to recruit locally," said Blaine Sullivan, president of Ocean Choice PEI. "It's just that there are not enough people here. It has been a disappointment."

Mr. Sullivan said a declining and ageing rural population is to blame for the shortfall in workers. "It's an ageing workforce and young people are moving on to different jobs," he said. "Lots of people in eastern Canada are heading out to Alberta, as well."

The company is paying to fly the workers to Canada. As casual employees, they will make about $2 less than the $9.40 an hour made by the average Ocean Choice plant worker, offsetting the flight and recruitment costs, he said.[...]

Ray Gallant, local spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, said the labour shortage has taxed the other plant workers, who often work 16-hour shifts to process the perishable product.

"[The other workers] welcome the extra help because they see it as a bit of a relief," Mr. Gallant said. "We're hoping this helps relieve some of that pressure." About 300 people work at the plant at full capacity.

Mr. Gallant said the company has been unable to lure workers from the surrounding area. "People aren't going to travel three hours a day with the price of gas these days for a job in a fish plant that pays nine or 10 bucks an hour," he said.

It is truly scandalous that Canadian companies are bringing in foreign workers in an effort to underbid native Canadians who won’t take their jobs anyway.