Lone Protester Stands Up Against Sutherland Global Services

Patrick Fletcher is standing outside 500 Ouellette Avenue. He has been there for four hours, every weekday, since November 6th. Cars and pedestrians slow down and stop to read the sign he holds. One driver calls out his window to know what the protest is all about and nods in agreement before moving on. Even more frequent are the honks of support.
Patrick Fletcher is protesting the practices of his former employer, the Sutherland call centre. His placard proclaims “Sutherland Violates Human Rights,” and Fletcher is eager to describe his situation in greater detail.
Fletcher, of First Nations descent, describes racially offensive comments made to him during a meeting with his Senior Operations Manager. Fletcher took issues with the senior official making derogatory reference to “you Indians.” After discussing the verbal abuse with the Ontario Human Rights Commission, he took their advice to allow the company the opportunity to formally apologize. Receiving no response, Fletcher filed a formal human rights complaint with the Commission, which protects Ontarians from discrimination, including that based on race, ancestry, and ethnic origin. The Human Rights Code also “protects individuals from reprisal for trying to enforce their human rights”.
Shortly after, Fletcher’s employment with Sutherland was terminated, on what the company refers to as “just cause.” Self-described as a “good employee” with no problems in the eight months he worked at the call centre, Fletcher was given no explanation for what this “just cause” was.
Since his firing, Patrick Fletcher and his protest against Sutherland’s human rights infractions has gained support. While his picket outside the call centre may have started alone, he has been joined by representatives from the CAW, Labour Studies at the University of Windsor, Windsor Workers Action Centre, and local members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).
While the Human Rights Commission investigates his claims, Fletcher is prepared to continue his protest. “I’ve never really stood up for anything before,” he says “It’s a good feeling.”