Chinese workers targeted as cheap labour, court told

A lawyer for the unions seeking to stop the use of temporary foreign workers from China at a northern B.C. coal mine says the company advertised those jobs for $10 to $17 less than what is paid at a nearby mine for similar work.

Charles Gordon told a Federal Court judge Friday that the company, HDmining,was also looking specifically for workers who speak Mandarin.

He said allowing the temporary workers to fill the jobs at the Murray River Coal Mine near Tumbler Ridge, B.C., will directly affect the unions and Canadian workers. Gordon said there arequalified Canadian workers who want those mining jobs.

The International Union of Operating Engineers and the Construction and Specialized Workers' Union areseeking an injunction to stop foreign workerson temporary work permits from arriving in Canada and, on Friday, Gordon argued the court should hear the unions' challenge to the permits.

The federal government isreviewing the Temporary Foreign Worker Programand initiatedproceedings in federal court in Vancouver Wednesday to allow interested parties to make arguments for being granted standing in court.

The Crown and the mining companies argued thatthe unions have no right to challenge the temporary work permits.

Gordon said the Crown is siding with the companies and trying to silence the unions.