Hello CD,
I have been in Canada for over 5 years and my wife joined me 2 years ago. I have never complained about Canada or canadian people and I always admired the system and I'm working with Canadian and feels that they don't have any probs. My wife is working where all of her co-workers are Canadian (to sidenote in our town we are only the Immigrant family). When, she started the work everyday the manager used to say that" It is not an india, you can't do things like that time. At that time they should have taught their style of work without bringing nationality. The way she was saying that we don't know nothing and only they have a knowledge .... I told her that it is new place and their style could be differrent thats why they might be saying that but that time I felt that they should have said differently ..anyway that thing passed. My wife is a qualified having certificate and licensend to work in her field still her manager says" everybody wants to work here..you know its not easy to work with just degrees in your hand",(Ofcourse its new nation and new style so takes time to learn but.) while her other co-workers are 10th pass but they are Canadian and they have a good command on english. Now, yesterday the manager came and said that" some clients complained that it smells from your body and you should take shower everyday" My wife's face was red that time and she said I do take shower everyday and don't come to work without taking shower and using deoderant. We both are sure that it is not complained by clients but they don't like her to continue work there. My wife is working in a good position. She is a permanent and is working under "Union". She is also having all benefits. Everyday, we finish our breakfast and then take shower,so there is no way that it food odour could be the problem and we keep work cloth and house cloth different because we know that our food odours are too strong and could be a problem to others. Also, we use lots of purfumes and deo. We are pure vegiie so thats other point of not having body odours. Anyway, I never had a complain like that and she never complain from friends or previous work place. I feel that we should complain to Union that they are harrasing with no points and they want to make point. Anyone is having experience or advice about how to solve or fight this problem?
My wife wants to leave this place but I said if we leave then they will win anyway and I want to give them a good answer so they will think twice before any descrimination...please advice..

If you feel that your wife is being harassed by her manager and she is not able to communicate (defend herself) strongly, then she should seek the Union's assistance to solve the issue. Let the union rep mediate and find what's going on. Maybe that will help.

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Dimple2001

Namo,
this topic is going to generate lot of heat.
my observations are
1- You mentioned that your wife co-worker are canadians. This ia a wrong thinking. You & your wife are as much as canadian as they are ( may be they are white skinned but in Canada everybody is a migrant , some has come recently some many decades back). So, your wife should fight back with these ill mannered people & talk to them in thier own language. Everybody is equal here.
2- But on the other hand, your wife should forget about her degrees/license from back home & her co workers are 10th pass etc. Employer is paying for your skill & labour ( not your degrees)

You follow my 2 advice above & you will see the marked difference in thier attitude.
Regards

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Driller the thriller

Namo,

1. Do tell your wife not to leave her job. Slowing but gradually they will all accept her.

2. Do keep all your clothes in a closet and keep it closed. Cooking smell can
remain in the entire house especially the smell of onion frying.In winters,we dont open windows and the fumes dont go out.The entire smell remains int he house unless there is some exhaust for fumes to go out.

3. We shud forget about our degrees and certifications and at the same time we need to stop thinking about their grade 10 diplomas. Things might change if we try to mix with them.Saying hello to them early morning may change their attitude a bit.

4. We may have to change our food habits a bit for some time especially during lunch time when we are sitting with all of them during the break time.

5. One of my indian friends was having Bhelpuri during lunch time.One chinese lady told him that the onion in the bhelpuri was smelling too hard.Then he stopped bringing onion from next day. One canadian was taking breakfast on his desk one day. Many ladies came to us and told us that his breakfast was smelling too hard. We told that canadian and he started having breakfast in cafetaria from next day.

Dont lose heart. We are with you.

Namo, (since you mentioned you are the only immigrant family in your town) where are you located?

I feel sorry for the situation your wife is in. But my thinking is, it all comes down to choices. Like mentioned by others before, you can stand up and fight or can let it go and find another job. Eitherway, you shouldn't let it affect your life - changing showering schedule etc. Since they hired you in the first place, I have to assume that they don't have anything against immigrants or indians/south asians. Isn't she reporting to the same manager who hired her?

--> "My wife wants to leave this place but I said if we leave then they will win anyway and I want to give them a good answer so they will think twice before any descrimination...please advice.."

Sometimes, it is not worthwhile to take up all fights. Somethings, just let go. If you think this is a fight which is worth it, then there are many options.. union way which you mentioned... + talk to your MPP or a lawyer etc. Just decide and go all the way. But don't let it affect your life. If you let it, then you have lost the game before it started!

And stop using perfumes, lot of people are allergic by the smell. There are always bully managers around, so keep the fight. You are there for work. You can always sue your employer for discrimation, racism etc and if the bully does not stop take to higher level.

Namo,
I donot exactly know whether to belive you or not b'cos Canadians are not like that. Yes. There is Racisim big time but no one shows/expresses those kind of opinions it in Public. This Manager could be even sent to jail if there are witnesses and that too you are telling me that it a unionised job and I find it hard to belive that a Canadian can be this racially expressive.
I agree 100% that Canadians (Whites) are more Clean, Hygenic , well dressed and better smelling than Indians but I have never heard any Canadian express openly that we smell. I know of a case in which an East European (she had 20 years experience in a field and a new Indian immigrant on the same job found so many mistakes in the east europeans job) when told nu an Indian immigrants about the mistakes in her job to the manager that " you canot treat me the same way as you treat an Immigrant". Even for that sentence, if the immigrant was keen to persue charges, she could have been jailed.
What I would advise you is that (provided what you say is true) :
1. Complain in writing to the union along with any witnesses that you may have asking for the termination of the manager and a lump sum for your psycological pain (or)
2. Get her speech recorded one day and file a complaint to the Human rights comission.
3. Write to her superior asking her to look into the case
4. If still an Indian citizen, approach the counsulate general (in Toronto or Ottawa) for help
5. Write to Nicholas Keung of Toronto star (who deals with immigrant issues)
6. Ask advise from "Investpro" of this forum.

Hope this helps.
Please donot leave this like this. If you donot respond, the same manager can target future immigrants in that town.

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.