Modern Slavery and

TFWs
Social Stratification
 All social groups and societies contain differences
amongst their members
 Some groups have more access to the resources of
society than others

 This means the daily life experiences of the various

groups will be different
 Social Stratification – refers to a system in which
people are divided or ranked into layers
according to their relative power, property, and
prestige
 Every society stratifies its members

 This hierarchical arrangement in society allows

different access to power and resources

 Some societies have greater inequality than others, but

stratification is universal 
Systems of Stratification
 There have been three main systems of
stratification throughout history:
 Slavery

 Caste

 Class
Slavery
 Although slavery still exists today, it does not
usually receive governmental or cultural support
 Historically, slavery as an institution existed in many of
the world’s dominant cultures – The most common way
to end up a slave occurred through war and conquest

 The economies of the United States and Latin

America depended on slave labour
 Slavery still exists widely in some parts of the
world today – such as the Sudan or Brazil
 Elsewhere in areas such as human trafficking and
child labour
Some Cases of Modern Slavery
 Food Chain Slaves
 http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?list=PL243E308F558A7E
EC&v=IbAr368CKGg&feat
ure=player_detailpage#t=2s
 Sex Slaves
 http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?list=PL243E308F558A7E
EC&v=rmMhDRJt0ek&feat
ure=player_detailpage#t=3s
Temporary Foreign Workers Program
 Employers – if unable to recruit Canadian
citizens or permanent residents to fill openings
 TFWP but also Seasonal Agricultural Workers
Program SAWP and Live-in Caregiver Program
LCP
 Had been well over 300,000 people per year – far more
than permanent residents
Rules and Controversy
 Supposed to fill short-term gaps – workers
typically limited to 4 years in – then must be out
for 4 years
 Should make up no more than 20% of a company’s
workforce
 Had previously been required to advertise job on a
national job bank for 6 weeks
 Down to 7 days
 Application time was 12 weeks
 Down to 10 days
 Can pay 15% less than average Canadian salary
 In theory same employee rights as Canadians
 In practice, many employees unaware of their rights –
may fear exercising them
 Can only switch employer with agreement of employer
 Employers can fire without notice
 Non-compliance, refusal to work, or other sufficient reasons
 No right of appeal
 Employer must provide housing, meals/kitchen
 Possibly insufficient
 Approximately 74% have been mistreated –
indicated by various measures
Fixed?
 Dec. 2015 changes
 Employers can face a ban from 1-10 years per
violation
 Fines ranging from $500 to $100,000
 Can voluntarily disclose mistakes to receive a lesser penalty,
such, as a warning
 Ads manipulated to ensure need for TFWs
 i.e. A BC mine listed Mandarin as a language requirement
for position
 Allegations of recruitment fees – approx $12,500
Number of requested temporary foreign worker positions
Prov. 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Territory
NL 3,611 1,662 1,587 2,074 5,917 4,354 2,480 1,070
PEI 614 1,231 1,057 1,295 1,206 1,056 934 786
NS 3,119 4,135 4,478 4,524 3,996 3,840 2,823 2,903
NB 3,085 2,041 2,401 3,045 3,171 3,110 1,802 1,280
QC 16,706 15,911 16,710 19,628 18,438 20,617 16,654 20,386
ON 80,131 63,185 64,740 63,644 65,010 55,742 43,211 40,589
MB 5,586 4,462 3,267 3,696 6,126 4,512 3,153 1,502
SK 6,010 5,599 5,836 7,841 14,222 11,504 3,545 1,893
AB 107,857 72,092 79,239 86,804 113,313 79,559 35,285 19,907
BC 66,855 39,733 35,536 36,205 37,319 35,051 22,391 22,930
YK 410 186 226 310 371 275 191 168
NWT 447 319 270 312 372 353 139 57
NU 98 157 175 122 114 61 265 109
Canada 294,529 210,713 215,522 229,500 269,575 220,034 132,873 113,580
Social Class and Mobility
 Affects are broad
 Health/Life, Family Dynamic, Political Involvement and
Ideology, View of Technology, etc.
 Social mobility within a single generation is
uncommon - old “rags to riches” story is rare
1. Intragenerational Mobility – Comparing your first job
to your current job
2. Intergenerational Mobility – social class changes from
one generation to another
3. Structural Mobility – social class movement due to
structural changes in society, not individual efforts