Increased Demand for Foreign Workers by Ontario Trucking Association

The Ontario Trucking Association has stated that due to the shortfall of truckers, they are forced to recruit foreign workers. The main reason for the shortage is that the native Ontario workers are not willing to work as Truck drivers. Therefore, it has Increased Demand for Foreign Workers by the Ontario Trucking Association.

Increased Demand for Foreign Workers- which is not good for the Native Workers-

Teamsters Canada, which is the largest transportation Union said that instead of calling foreign Workers, the province needs to increase the wages and improve the working environment of the native workers itself.

Why there is a shortage of Truckers in Ontario Province?

When interviewed by CBC, Steve Laskowski, president of the Ontario Trucking Association- he gave two reasons for the shortfall which are as follows-

• This sector hasn’t changed since 55 years when compared with other industries.
• Major economy of Canada including Ontario drives on Truck wheels.

Steve Laskowski’s views on the need for foreign workers for Trucking- this is not a permanent solution.

According to Steve Laskowski, it is a temporary solution. This move will attract Canadians as well who are looking for a good career.  This sector is unable to draw the attention of as much Canadians as other sectors which are successfully recruiting 300,000 newcomers each year. It is not easy to compete, as truck driving has been considered as an unskilled job by many immigrants, but on the contrary driving, a heaving vehicle is a skilled job.

What is being asked by Trucking Association from the Government?

The truck union has been demanding a small share of workers from that 300,000 who all are coming to Canada to have a good lifestyle and Trained them under a Trusted Employer to train them and finish the program. As a result, we will have trained and Professional Drivers on Road. The government should keep the training program in check so that in the end only professionals drive on the Road. 

Many employers are luring workers with high-end Salary- 

Steve Laskwoski, when asked about employer should lure native workers with high salaries instead of foreign workers; he said that trucking is one of the highly paid jobs in the country. The annual salary of the truck driver is estimated to be in between $70,000 and $80,000.

The real issue is no wages, but it is the work style that requires workers who stay away from the home and area for weeks even months. A difficulty is to encourage the young generation to adopt Trucking as a Career Option. Staying away is a challenge for the newcomers but many Companies are trying different approaches to attract the young age and paying high salaries is one of them. 

Ways to encourage youth to opt Trucking as a Career Option-

Laskowski said that there are working on the ongoing Projects to support the youth to take Trucking as a career option. One way is to make the Profession more respectable which will encourage Newcomers to take it as a Profession.

He further added that Trucking could be a head start to a Management job and can end up owing the company. One can work as a Truck Driver for at least 25 to 30 years of lifetime.

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Diksha Garg

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