Union staff say NPCA workplace culture ‘toxic’
OPSEU-commissioned survey finds 80 per cent of employees witnessed unwanted sexual attention, threats of violence, bullying and discrimination
A survey of unionized employees at Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority paints a grim picture of “toxic” conditions for frontline staff, but the organization’s CAO was quick to defend his agency Wednesday.
Eighty per cent of NPCA staff who completed the survey said they had witnessed offensive behaviours such as undesired sexual attention, threats of violence, violence, bullying and discrimination at work.
Even more, 87 per cent, said NPCA tolerates behaviour that is harmful to mental health.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union engaged an independent agency funded by the Ministry of Labour to conduct the survey.
Mark Brickell, CAO of NPCA, declined to discuss the specific results of the survey.
“Unions conduct surveys for their own purposes,” he said. “My responsibility is that we have a positive and high-performing workplace, and that’s what I work at every single day — to bring that about.
“I have no question we are on the right path and moving rapidly toward that. I don’t think the proper way to deal with it is through the media.”
The results weren’t meant to be a report card, Terri Aversa, an OPSEU health and safety officer, said. The survey of members of Local 217 was intended to start a conversation with management.
“We asked management to send some signals that things were going to change,” Aversa said. “We don’t feel the response was adequate.
“They listened. They offered to meet with the local representatives, but what we wanted was a joint communiqué saying that things were going to change.
“There is no trust. The NPCA’s response was to do a survey of their own. We think that shows they didn’t think our survey was valid. We had an 86.5 per cent response rate. Even if we had a 100 per cent response rate, the results wouldn’t have changed. It’s representative of the way people feel.”
Brickell said he also wouldn’t discuss what the authority’s internal survey found.
The union survey was conducted by the Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers, or OHCOW, which is billed itself as a multidiscipline health clinic.
Sixty- eight per cent of the employees said they had experienced bullying in the last year — more than twice the Canadian average of 31 per cent, the union said.
Fifty-five per cent described the workplace as “toxic.” That is 10 times the average rate among Canadian workers, the union said.
As a result, OPSEU is asking NPCA board members to direct the senior management team “to take steps to address an unhealthy workplace,” Aversa said. They are also asking for a joint employer-union steering committee.
Brickell said his door is always open.
“We always look forward to dialogue with OPSEU and with our local stewards,” Brickell said. “We value those conversations. We’ve committed to greatly increasing our training and our team building budget. We are putting a great focus on that.
“We are an employer of choice. We get a huge response every time we have a job opening. We get 150 to 200 people apply every time we have an opening.”
OPSEU is asking provincial politicians to support a call by Welland MPP Cindy Forster for the provincial government to temporarily appoint a supervisor to oversee operations at NPCA.
Brickell said there is always room for improvement, and he is open for more “dialogue” with the union.
Brickell also said he isn’t discouraged by criticism.
“I know how good we are,” he said. “I know how strong our staff members are. I know the amazing skills they have. I mar- vel at the intellect and the passion that they have for the job they do. I know the real NPCA, and the real NPCA is a very positive place.
“I’m sensitive to the fact that other people don’t know us as well. Anytime something negative is said, it tells me there is more do — to communicate with a particular group of people. Once people get to know the real NPCA, they know it is a pretty amazing place.”
Aversa said the union has “a whole whack of suggestions” for Brickell and senior management — if they are interested.
“They have said the right things, but there was no acknowledgment of the validity of the survey,” she said.
“The offer to meet only with the local union representatives doesn’t cut it. Our local representatives are scared and intimidated every day they go to work.
“We wanted to see a sign that something was different, that they heard their employees. We haven’t seen that.”