A workplace harassment investigation at city hall involving a unionized city employee includes allegations made during the past year, says the president of CUPE Local 2380.
“There were several allegations and some of them were substantiated,” Michael Murphy told BarrieToday this morning, “but I can’t be more specific than that. I can’t say who or anything like that.
“Our local is taking this matter very seriously and that we feel that all of our members have a right to a harassment-free workplace," he added.
Murphy said that because the matter is confidential, mostly dealt with by Barrie councillors behind closed doors or in-camera, he could not give details on who was involved and what allegedly happened.
He did say this sort of thing has not happened before, to his knowledge, involving his union, which has about 500 full-time members working for the city.
Barrie city police did not immediately respond to BarrieToday when asked if they were investigating these allegations of workplace harassment.
City council will consider a motion tonight involving a workplace harassment investigation, although it’s unclear how it would affect the probe. A portion of the motion is associated with complaints concerning members of council and committees related to workplace violence or harassment.
A confidential staff report concerning personal information, and advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege matters concerning a workplace harassment investigation, could be received by council tonight.
According to the motion, the city’s director of human resources and city clerk, in consultation with the integrity commissioner and legal counsel, could be authorized to amend the violence in the workplace and workplace human rights procedures to remove language identifying roles and responsibilities for city council, and staff, in the investigation process associated with complaint allegations involving council and committee members.
Additionally, the city clerk, in consultation with the integrity commissioner and legal counsel, could review the council and committee member Code of Conduct and report back to general committee regarding amendments that may be required to provide clarification of roles and responsibilities of the integrity commissioner associated with complaints concerning members of council and committees related to workplace violence or harassment.
Following a closed-door session at general committee last week, Deputy Mayor Barry Ward twice tried to change this motion, but both amendments failed.
First was that, despite the deadline for taking action on complaints in council’s Code of Conduct, the integrity commissioner be asked to investigate the allegations set out in the confidential staff report. That amendment lost.
Second was that this matter be referred to external legal counsel to provide an opinion on alternative actions that could be undertaken in response to the results of the investigation set out in the confidential staff report.
“So basically we’re asking for an external legal counsel to provide us with alternatives,” Ward said.
“I would anticipate that once we receive that opinion, we would deal with the matter at a future in-camera (closed-door) meeting,” said Mayor Jeff Lehman.
This amendment lost as well, but the main motion (shown above) was approved by general committee.
Coun. Mike McCann did not vote on either of the amendments or the main motion, although he did not declare a conflict of interest in the open (public) portion of the meeting. He did not respond to a request for comment from BarrieToday on his reasons.
Lehman did not vote on any of the amendments or the main motion; the mayor, who chairs general committee meetings, only votes to break a tie.
Asked about her involvement in these matters to this point, integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig said there was none.
“The Office of the Integrity Commissioner has not participated in a City of Barrie investigation into workplace harassment,” she said on Saturday.
“The city's director of human resources and the City Clerk's Office consulted with me with reference to possible amendments to city policies and the Code of Conduct," Craig added.
The city released a statement Saturday afternoon that it is obligated to maintain confidentiality related to a workplace harassment investigation, so the city would not be making any further comment on this matter at this time.
