- Date
2013-07-15
- Auteurs
Dalson Chen
- Titre du journal
The Windsor Star
- Lieu de publication
Essex County
- Texte complet
A five-year-old case concerning allegations of abuse of female migrant workers in Wheatley continued on Monday at a human rights tribunal.
The case involves a number of complaints from 2008 against Jose Pratas, former owner of Presteve Foods Ltd. — an Essex County fish processing plant.
In 2011, Pratas pleaded guilty to one count of assault for inappropriately touching female workers who were from Mexico and Thailand. He was granted a conditional discharge.
Following the criminal case, some of the workers applied for damages against Pratas via the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Tuesday’s hearing was only the latest in a series that have taken place since September 2011.
The majority of the workers who originally complained about Pratas have settled out of court. Three remain.
On Tuesday, intervening party Justicia for Migrant Workers called for testimony from Kerry Preibisch, a University of Guelph anthropologist, who suggested that Canada’s temporary foreign workers programs puts migrant employees in vulnerable positions.
Gino Morga, legal counsel for Presteve Foods, argued that Preibisch’s testimony was about “generalities” and had “no relevance whatsoever” on the specific case.
He noted that Preibisch has had no contact with the complainants and her testimony was based on academic research.
The hearing dates continue.
- Liens
- Secteurs économiques
Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing et Labourers in fish and seafood processing
- Types de contenu
Cas d’abus documentés
- Pertinence géographique
Ontario
- Langues
Anglais