I was working as a painter and was paid with cheques that bounced. Despite the owner’s promises to pay, I didn’t get paid for the bounced cheques, and more wages went unpaid.
I decided to quit and make a complaint to the Ministry of Labour. I had to wait for 1 year for my case to be seen. Another 8 months passed for the investigation to show that I was right. The Ministry ordered the company to pay, but the company knew what to do to avoid payment. They just changed their name. How easy it is to get away with wage theft – just change your name and you free yourself from paying your workers.
So far after 3 years, I have only received $600 of the over $4,000 that I am owed. I had to work very hard for that money. For me, this money could have paid for my son’s education, and I could have sent it to my family back home who need it. At this point, I am not struggling so that this company pays me, I am fighting so that the Ministry of Labour is not so ineffective and disappointing with workers’ cases. Fighting this case is to fight for justice for all workers who have had their wages stolen.