Support pours in for Weyburn, Sask., waitresses who lost jobs

A couple of waitresses in Weyburn, Sask., may have lost their jobs, but they are finding a lot of support in their own city and across the country.

CBC's iTeam uncovered that a local restaurant fired Sandy Nelson and Shaunna Jennison-Yung and replaced them with temporary foreign workers.

Nelson, 58, worked at Brothers Classic Grill and Pizza [previously called El Rancho] in Weyburn for 28 years.

"We tried going [the] government route. Never got a response," Nelson said. "Finally got a response today."

Nelson said they met with local MLA Dustin Duncan. She said Duncan told them the province will investigate what happened.

Meanwhile, their story has beengetting a lot of attention.

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"I don't think that's fair," Weyburn residentKyla Broomfield said. "We go there all the time and they treat customers well. I don't know why they would fire them."

"Why should they give foreigners more opportunities?" Jeremiah Broomfield said. "There'swilling Canadians here to work. It's just not fair."

Ray Winters said the news has been the talk of coffee row in Weyburnthis week.

"It should be investigated to why the former employees were laid off after 28 years," Winters said."That's a long time to work and then to all of a sudden be laid off."

Both the provincial and federal government say they are investigating the entire program.

"Maybe we started something," Nelson said. "Maybe we're giving a voice to people who didn't know they had a voice, like I didn't have a voice."

"I'm happy people are standing behind us saying, 'You know what? They were good at their jobs and they didn't deserve this,'" saidJennison-Yung, who lost her waitressing job after 14 years of service. "We really appreciate it."

The Facebook siteof Brothers Classic Grill and Pizza has also been flooded with comments from across the country supporting the two women. The owners declined to be interviewed by CBC today.