Worker Testimonials
Since opening its doors in 2014, the Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre staff have helped over 600 individuals in the Greater City of Sudbury and surrounding area with workplace rights education, information, support, and advocacy.
Thanks, SWEAC for helping me get through this ordeal. I was able to keep my job, exercise my rights and successfully fight for fairness in the workplace. You made a very stressful situation bearable by making me feel supported and educated. You walked me through a very difficult situation and encouraged me along the way. I hope others can find the courage to stand up for themselves; SWEAC would be a good place to start. Thanks again.
I just wanted to again say thank you for the immense level of support, understanding and compassion you have extended to me and my family during these difficult times.
I am quite certain my strength to fight between EI and my insurance company would have been long ago lost without your support and for that I thank you.
Again, I hope we do not need to meet under these circumstances but definitely wanted to take the time to extend my appreciation for your dedication in supporting me through all of this. You and I must assume, that all other members of your team are doing incredible work in helping the workers in this city who fall through the cracks of a system that is unfortunately so flawed.
My sincerest gratitude to all of you, all of the people you help I am sure feel the same way and I truly believe you all make many lives better and more understood in the workplace and within government agencies. These acts of kindness and support are all steps to making the workplace and life an easier place for minorities, and those who fall through the cracks of the system in the future.
When I came to Sudbury Workers Centre, I was exhausted and stressed out by my full time employment. I wasn’t happy with my situation. The staff at Sudbury Workers Centre listened to my story, helped me understand my situation and more importantly my rights as a worker.
They gave me a referral to an employment agency that helped me put all of my knowledge, degrees, and certifications to use so that I could find work better suited for me!
I heard of SWEAC through a career agency I was involved with and I approached them regarding an issue I had with an employer. The SWEAC staff made me feel comfortable and were very informative with the answers they offered to my questions. They went above and beyond when I needed to deliver papers to the CRA and was out of town, they immediately printed them off and personally delivered them on my behalf. I appreciated the fact that they treat you like a person and show genuine interest in each of the cases they deal with. I have chosen to volunteer with this organization due to the fact that I think people need to be more informed of their rights in the workplace. The service SWEAC offers is indispensable to both the worker and the community.
This company was very knowledgeable and brilliant to help me win termination pay owed to me for unlawful dismissal. I highly recommend them!
In March of 2015, I was terminated from my position for contacting my HR Department to complain about being harassed at work.
I had been being verbally and emotionally harassed by a fellow employee for 6 months at my job. When I finally felt that my supervisors weren’t doing anything about the harassment, I decided to contact my HR Representative (as my rights as an employee stated) to let them know that my supervisors were not handling the harassment complaints seriously. 2 days after I filed my complaint I was terminated without cause from my position with the company.
What the company did was wrong, and I had to do something about it.
Directly after this happening, I contacted the Ministry of Labour. Which were a lot of 1-800 numbers, automatic messages trying to get the right person, and one person telling me I need to call another. It seemed like an endless circle of call this person, call that person.
While I was working on my resume at the Employment Option Centre, I had mentioned to my worker what had happened and he handed me a brochure for the Sudbury Workers Education & Advocacy Centre (SWEAC). I immediately called and made an appointment with Executive Director.
She immediately starting calling the Ontario Relations Labour Board and started pointing me in the right direction of taking action against my employer. She got me in touch with a lawyer from the Relations Board who then helped me fill out, file, and serve the application against my former employer.
She also helped, assisted and supported me throughout the entire process. Reminding me that I needed to keep going, regardless of the nasty things my former employer was saying about me. She reminded me that what they did was wrong, that I needed to keep fighting for my rights as an employee who trusted her employer would help but ended up being the ‘bad guy’.
In the end, with the proof I had, the help from SWEAC and the Labour Relations Board, within 9 months of being terminated, I received a lump-sum payment from the employer.
Don’t give up fighting for your rights as an employee. The Sudbury Workers Education & Advocacy Centre supports you through the whole journey 100%, will help point you in the right direction and uses their contact base and Board of Directors to assist you in any way that they can. I would fully recommend their services if you are looking to start your journey for your rights.