The United Steelworkers Union says the Canadian Human Rights Commission has rejected a complaint filed last month by a Chinese worker at a coal mine in northern B.C.

The human rights complaint alleged information on the Steelworkers' website could create contempt for Chinese people, because the union had been critical of HD Mining's decision to hire 200 temporary foreign workers from China to work at the Tumbler Ridge mine.

Steven Hunt, the Western Director for the Union says he doesn't care where people come from — his concern is qualified Canadians were overlooked for these jobs.

"We've been very clear and explicit in our position on this. We're standing up for working people, something both levels of government haven't done, and this worker was obviously confused."

Hunt said the commission told the union the threshold for hearing the complaint had not been met.