Vancouver Park Board publicly accused of toxic workplace culture
During Monday night’s park board meeting in Vancouver, a man who claimed he was an operations worker for the city did not hold back, making some serious allegations about workplace bullying and harassment.
“I’ve witnessed widespread fear of management. I’ve been subjected to racism in the workplace by supervisors. I’ve witnessed repeated violations of the city’s current bullying and harassment policies,” said Jose Raphael.
Raphael felt compelled to speak to commissioners when the board was discussing its new code of conduct policy, one of the items on the agenda. However, he was cut off mid-sentence by board chair Camil Dumont.
“Jose, I am just going to stop you for a second. What you’re describing sounds very serious and I’ve just been informed by our general manager, it’s clearly a human resources matter. And your presence here, may have repercussions for yourself and so on,” he said.
“I would suggest this may not be appropriate time to bring these items to the board. I would consider maybe even speaking to a staff member here and figuring out what the best course of action will be, because I think it’s important you be heard,” he added. .
Raphael agreed and finished by saying he’s witnessed a divide between city policies and operations.
“I hope whatever new policies do come, that it actually reflects the operations of the city,” he said.
WORKPLACE POLICY
Under section 3.1 in the city of Vancouver’s corporate policy for human rights and harassment, it states “An individual who believes he or she is being harassed … may consult an (Equal Employment Opportunity) advisor, who can assess whether the complaint falls under this policy and discuss possible courses of action.”
“What we don’t know, is if this employee actually tried to do the right thing and followed the policy or if he just chose to disregard it,” said Debby Carreau, human resources expert at
“If employees do speak out -- even if it's not the way an organization wants them to -- they still deserve the right to be heard and to be treated with respect,” she said.
Employment Lawyer, Sara Forte with Forte Workplace Law, says every employer in B.C. is mandated to have a bullying and harassment policy, and training on how to approach these sensitive issues.
“The first thing I tell workers who are suffering from bullying and harassment at work is to find their employer's policy. That policy needs to address what the expectations are. So, what is bullying and harassment, how to report it and then have an investigation protocol that will be followed,” said Forte.
Forte adds that workers also have the right to bring a complaint to the BC Human Rights Tribunal, if it relates to discrimination under prohibited grounds such as race or sex, among others.
CITY RESPONDS
As for whether Rapheal’s concerns were addressed, the city of Vancouver’s Board of Parks and Recreation said in a statement that bullying and harassment is not tolerated.
“The City of Vancouver has two policies which address workplace harassment and bullying: the Respectful Workplace Policy and the Human Rights and Harassment Policy. Staff are informed of both policies and the process for making complaints during their orientation, and throughout the course of their employment, including through regular safety talks, crew talks, and through online resources," it read.
"While we cannot comment on any specific employee complaint due to privacy legislation, we can confirm that retaliation against staff for raising concerns of bullying or harassment in good faith is prohibited.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cyclist issued fine for striking four-year-old girl crossing the street
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
'We have no judge for you': Man's assault charges dropped weeks before trial due to lack of judges in Toronto
A man who was accused of sexually and physically assaulting a woman had his charges dropped in April, just weeks before he was set to stand trial in Toronto, due to a lack of judges in the region.
Protest encampment cleared by Edmonton police early Saturday morning
A protest encampment set up on the University of Alberta campus was cleared early Saturday morning by Edmonton police.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.
Tips to make a house or apartment safe and accessible for older adults living at home
Here's a summary of tips from the U.S. National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.