Horwath and NDP getting stung in union battle

No matter how you slice it, the optics around the dispute between the provincial New Democratic Party and its own unionized staff are unflattering.

In case you’ve missed the story so far: Staff in two separate Hamilton riding offices — that of MPP Monique Taylor and MPP Paul Miller — launched provincial human rights complaints against their employer. In one case, Todd White, who also happens to chair the Hamilton public school board, alleges Miller discriminated against him and questioned his commitment when White went on parental leave. His complaint also says Miller compelled staff to campaign for him.

In the other case, staffer Sandra Troulinos claims Taylor tried to force her to file a sexual harassment complaint against another female employee, who has also filed a human rights complaint.

These complaints have not been adjudicated. We have no way of knowing if they are accurate or not. But it has to be said that two serious staff management confrontations in two offices, both NDP and both in one city, look and feel troubling.

But the thing that really stands out is how the provincial caucus has and is dealing with the situations. Party Leader Andrea Horwath said early in the process she was concerned about the allegations, but wouldn’t say or do much more pending the outcome of union grievances to assess and adjudicate.

That’s an understated but defensible response. Except ...

The union representing all three employees, the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union (COPE), now says the party has fired one of the workers and stopped paying two others.

And their human rights cases have not yet been heard. The impression this has to leave is that the workers have been dismissed before the party even knows if the allegations are true.

Back in April, party Leader Horwath was asked if she thought this controversy could harm the party’s chances in the provincial election. She was quoted in a CBC report saying:

“Most people are fair-minded, and they’ll see when these things are brought forward that there’s a due process.” The current situation looks disturbingly like due process has been subverted.

That wouldn’t be good for any political party. If this was happening within Doug Ford’s PC party, where respect for union and worker rights is clearly not a key feature, it wouldn’t be so surprising. But for it to happen within the ranks of the party that has at its core respect for worker and union rights makes the already unflattering picture downright ugly.

The party’s response?

Through its lawyer, it says the union is misrepresenting the facts and that the party has done nothing wrong. That may be or may not be accurate, but it’s not an adequate response.

Why was White fired before his human rights hearing? Why was the pay of the other two staffers suspended before their cases were adjudicated?

They may or may not have done things to justify the discipline levied on them, but surely not before they have their proverbial day in court.

This feels as if the NDP is bullying its own unionized staff. It’s not a good look for Horwath’s party.

The party has fired one of the workers and stopped paying two others. And their human rights cases have not yet been heard.