McDonald's Canada CEO calls foreign worker controversy 'Bullshit'

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Source: CBC

The CEO of McDonald's Canada has branded recent criticism of its use of temporary foreign workers "bullshit" in a conference call to franchisees that was given to the CBC.

His remarks from earlier this week came before federal Employment Minister Jason Kenney announced an immediate moratorium on the food services sector’s access to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program late on Thursday, as a result of CBC Go Public's inquiries.

Three McDonald's franchises in Victoria and a pizza restaurant in Weyburn, Sask., are at the centre of program abuse allegations involving Canadian employees alleging foreign workers were given priority work status or more hours.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mcdonald-s-canada-ceo-calls-foreign-worker-controversy-bullshit-1.2621151

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CEO John Betts is quoted as saying:

"This has been an attack on our brand. This has been an attack on our system. This is an attack on our people. It’s bullshit OK! I used those words when I described my conversation with the minister last week. He gets it."

Betts says he was "incredibly impressed" with the minister, adding, "He really knows his stuff. And I’ll say he knows his stuff from a business person’s perspective."

...and continues:
"The fact of the matter is we are a big bad company, corporate, you know, bad company and these poor maligned employees are who they are."

"Yes, they are disenfranchised. Some of them don’t work for us anymore. But in the scheme of things, it doesn’t matter."

"This story has been brewing for a lot of years. And you know at the end of the day we just happen to be the business that got tapped into it and we weren’t the first. Obviously, RBC was,"

There you have it.

[Newsjock]

1. Bad news for him

Restaurants barred from using Temporary Foreign Worker Program
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/restaurants-barred-from-using-temporary-foreign-worker-program/article18203064/

Employment Minister Jason Kenney has put an immediate moratorium on allowing restaurants to hire temporary foreign workers after a series of abuse allegations.

Mr. Kenney said in a statement Thursday evening that his earlier effort to sanction specific outlets wasn’t working and that wider action was needed.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

5. Hopefully the ensuing shitstorm, isn't soley focused on McDonalds

or Tim Horton's, but more importantly on the complicity of the government in suppressing wages in all kinds of sectors. Banking, mining, tourism etc. This is a genuine fortunate opportunity for groups lobbying for a living wage.

[u4ic]

7. Also tar sands

A couple of Chinese TFW were killed a few years ago; they were doing dangerous work, but couldn't speak or understand English. No safety rules in Chinese.

Lots of them up in Ft Mac.

[thecytron]

10. Are we looking at the dark-side of the Underground Economy?

In this case, is McDonalds nothing but an easy target?

I guess, somehow, we have to start somewhere?

Nonetheless, you're right, the workforce practices in suppressing wages in all kinds of sectors is very real - no fantasy here!

Strangely enough, though, Economic Experts have known about the existence of wage suppression practices predominately found in the Underground Economy.

Why burst the bubble, now?

[freshwest]

2. What a sweetheart! You know he's the life of every social occasion! n/t

[SoapBox]

3. What's bullshit is the pay that assholes like this creep get.

[lovemydog]

4. I thought he was describing their food

[u4ic]

6. take the word bull out of the equation

It might imply there's actually some real meat in their food.

[FreedRadical]

8. "Yes, they are disenfranchised"

Our corporate position is "fuck them"!!!

[rpannier]

9. Mr Betts climb down off your cross, return the three nails and return the wood

Your Martyr time is up