2023-12-04 05:00:00
An angry mechanic claims that the Ultium CAM battery factory refused his CV because it was written in French and demanded a new version “in English”, in addition to having prevented him from doing his job interview in the official language of Quebec.
“I sent them my CV in French last February. They asked me to send it back to them in English. A few weeks later, I had an interview. They told me: ‘We’re going to do the interview in Korean,'” lamented David W., to whom The newspaper gave a fictitious name for fear of reprisals for his denunciation.
“The official language of Quebec is French. It’s not English. Foreign companies that come to set up here with our subsidies must speak French,” lamented the indignant Quebecer of Korean origin, who arrived here in his thirties.
Nearly $152 million in public funds
In Bécancour, the Ultium CAM factory, owned by the American General Motors (GM) and the South Korean POSCO, is one of the key parts of the battery industry. She obtained a loan of nearly $152 million from Quebec, including $134 million forgivable from the Legault government.
The Ultium CAM factory under construction last summer. Photo Francis Halin
The factory in Center-du-Québec plans to hire 200 workers to manufacture GM battery materials, which will go into electric Hummers and Cadillacs to green the economy.
But for David W., the actions of the South Korean steel giant POSCO, during the hiring process, stir something deep within him.
David W. cannot at all digest that a foreign giant is coming to establish itself in Quebec while ignoring the French fact. Photo Agence QMI, JOEL LEMAY
“It shocked me because I am of Korean origin. The Japanese colonized my country. We were forced to speak Japanese, so I am sensitive to that,” the man breathes in a calm tone.
Already two complaints to the OQLF
Questioned by The newspaperthe Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) confirmed that it had already received two complaints against Ultium CAM.
“The two complaints concerned the requirement of a language other than French for access to a position. As provided for in the Charter, they were transferred to the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST),” indicated its spokesperson Chantal Bouchard.
“It is the CNESST which is responsible for processing certain complaints related to the language of work, in particular those concerning the requirement of a language other than French for access to a position,” he said. she adds.
«A scam»
The last days, The newspaper found that certain posted positions for technicians and maintenance engineers at Ultium CAM in Bécancour did not require knowledge of French.
Asked by The newspaperthe company was quick to plead “imbroglio”.
“French being very important for the managers of Ultium CAM, I confirm to you that this is an imbroglio that we will ensure to correct as quickly as possible,” assured its human resources manager Anabelle Jolicoeur Tétreault.
Promises of francization
Asked to explain the case of David W., Ultium CAM refused to do so for “legal reasons”.
“The various Korean managers present in Quebec for Ultium CAM take French language courses because they consider it essential to do so, as this is part of our organizational culture,” responded to Journal Ms. Jolicoeur Tétreault.
Ultium CAM responds that it respects Law 96, in particular the publication of job offers in French and the “francization program” aimed at generalizing the use of French in its activities.
“We also confirm that the working language of the Ultium CAM factory will be French and that our organization complies with the various Quebec regulations relating to the French language,” she concluded.
-With the collaboration of Yves Lévesque
►The newspaper also learned that the CNESST gave “a correction notice” to the Ultium CAM factory in another file concerning the safety of an elevating platform. The intervention took place on October 26 after a complaint. The employer complied.
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