The Cuban government is compelling Cuban workers employed in Canada to remit a significant portion of their earnings to Cuba, as revealed by two former workers in discussions with CBC News. These workers disclosed that the Cuban Communist Party mandates attendance at “political-ideological workshops,” requires reporting on interactions with Canadian colleagues, restricts movements, and oversees relationships outside of work.
Similar instances of wage confiscation by the Cuban government have been reported in various countries, including Brazil, where Cuban doctors took legal action, leading to a Brazilian judge denouncing the practice as akin to “slave labor.”
In Canada, a group of approximately six Cuban professionals are engaged in a cobalt and nickel refinery joint venture between Cuba’s state nickel company and Sherritt International in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. Additionally, around four Cuban workers are part of another joint venture in Nassau, Bahamas, alongside Canadian counterparts, receiving wages in Canadian dollars subject to confiscation.
Both former employees highlighted that wage confiscation of Cuban workers abroad has been an established practice for years. Despite assurances from Canadian officials that all workers are safeguarded by labor laws, the former workers emphasized that filing complaints could pose significant risks for Cuban employees.
Under a longstanding 31-year agreement between Sherritt and the Cuban government, ore is extracted in Cuba, shipped to Alberta for refining, and then exported. To protect their families in Cuba, CBC News has agreed not to disclose the identities of the Cuban workers.
Researcher Maria Werlau documented instances of wage confiscation by the Cuban government during medical missions in various countries. The former workers and Werlau noted that even in democratic nations like Canada, Cuban workers face severe restrictions on their earnings and personal freedom.
The Cuban workers employed in Sherritt’s operations outside Cuba are reportedly carefully vetted for their loyalty to the government. While these jobs offer significantly higher pay than what workers could earn in Cuba, the workers face strict controls and limitations on their activities, both at work and outside.
The former employees also shared their struggles to make ends meet, resorting to budget shopping and even food banks to survive. They expressed fear of reprisals from the Cuban government if they voiced dissent or attempted to assert their rights.
Despite the challenges faced by Cuban workers in Canada, Sherritt International denied any involvement in the wage confiscation scheme, asserting compliance with all applicable laws. The Cuban Foreign Ministry and the Embassy of Cuba in Canada did not respond to requests for comment from CBC News.
Efforts to address potential abuse or exploitation of foreign workers in joint ventures like those involving Cuban workers in Canada seem limited by the lack of formal complaints and a clear mechanism for action. The workers call for greater government intervention to address the issues they face in their employment arrangements.