The Cuban government is compelling Cuban workers in Canada to remit a significant portion of their earnings to the government, as reported by two former employees who spoke to CBC News. These workers are also subjected to attending political-ideological workshops and reporting on interactions with Canadian counterparts, along with restrictions on their movements and scrutiny of their relationships outside of work.
Instances of wage confiscation by the Cuban government have been previously documented in various countries, such as Brazil, where Cuban doctors took legal action against the practice, leading a Brazilian judge to denounce it as akin to “slave labor.”
In Canada, approximately six Cuban professionals are employed at a cobalt and nickel refinery in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, operated as a joint venture between Cuba’s state nickel company and Sherritt International. Another four Cuban workers are stationed at a Sherritt-Cuba Niquel joint venture in Nassau, Bahamas, where they work alongside Canadian colleagues and receive their wages in Canadian dollars, which are also subject to confiscation.
Both former employees confirmed that the practice of wage confiscation for Cuban workers abroad has been standard for many years. While Canadian labor laws purportedly safeguard all workers in the country, the former employees highlighted that raising complaints could pose significant risks for Cuban employees.
The joint ventures between Sherritt and the Cuban government have been operational for over three decades, involving the mining of ore in Cuba and subsequent processing in Alberta. To protect the identities of Cuban workers and their families in Cuba, CBC News has agreed not to disclose their names.
Researcher Maria Werlau has extensively documented instances of wage confiscation by the Cuban government, particularly in medical missions abroad, including in Brazil, Jamaica, and the Middle East. Despite the confiscation of a significant portion of their earnings, Cuban workers in democratic nations like Canada still earn more than they could in Cuba.
The Cuban Communist Party imposes strict controls over the Cuban workers employed in Sherritt’s operations outside Cuba, vetting them for loyalty to the government and monitoring their activities. The workers are prohibited from forming relationships with Canadian colleagues outside of work and face restrictions on accessing outside information.
The former employees revealed that while some Canadian employees at Sherritt were aware of the wage confiscation, they believed it was primarily orchestrated by the Cuban government and not Sherritt. Sherritt’s corporate affairs director emphasized that the company adheres to all applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where it operates and does not participate in any wage confiscation schemes.
The workers expressed their struggles to make ends meet with their limited earnings, resorting to budget shopping and even food banks to sustain themselves. They also highlighted the fear of reprisals and the stringent controls imposed by the Cuban government on their activities and interactions while working abroad.
Despite the challenges faced by Cuban workers in these joint ventures, the federal government’s mechanisms for addressing labor abuses rely heavily on formal complaints, which may be deterred by fear of repercussions. The workers called for greater awareness and action from the authorities to address the issues faced by Cuban employees in these joint ventures.