The city of Mount Royal employs a worker who pleaded guilty to threatening a co-worker and was also fined for intimidating another.
Mechanic Jonathan Emond is scheduled to return to work in early December.
For the past few weeks, management and unionized workers in this city of 20,000 on the island of Montreal have confided their concerns to our Bureau of Investigation. They don’t understand why the 42-year-old is still in office.
In April 2020, he was criminally charged with assault with a gun and making threats against fellow shopmate Éric Simard.
“He harassed me for a month, he intimidated me, he attacked me. How far will this guy go? There is no one here who can bring him to his senses,” says Éric Simard in an interview.
Mr Simard reports that his attacker jostled him and even threw a bottle with a chemical product at his head. He had reported to the police because his employer had not intervened.
His attacker admitted his guilt over the threats and received a parole with 18 months probation in June 2021.
” I’m afraid “
As of autumn 2020, Jonathan Emond is said to have also attacked another of his colleagues, Michel Lessard. Insults, threats, intimidation of a sexual nature, Mr Lessard claims he went through hell until he collapsed in an executive’s office.
“I’m afraid. Even though I’m a 57-year-old man, 5’7 at the time and then 200 pounds, I have the same fear,” he tells us.
Messrs. Simard and Lessard testify openly, although they fear reprisals because they no longer trust their employer.
Four other employees confirmed to our investigation office that they were aware of acts of intimidation by Mr. Emond.
“In principle he would have been kicked out if it had been private. We tolerate aggressiveness here,” says foreman Dave Potvin.
The mayor has doubts
The City of Mount Royal commissioned an outside investigation in the summer of 2021. She tells us she has imposed sanctions on her worker, but refuses to say which ones, claiming confidentiality of employee files.
Reached by phone, Mayor Peter J. Malouf said his administration should process the file.
“I know the boys. And because I know guys, I know how guys can complain for no reason or have motives,” he commented.
Jonathan Emond has been on probation for 18 months since the judge barred him from approaching Éric Simard. Because this probationary period is coming to an end, he will soon be able to return to his job.
He declined our interview request. The city also refused to let us know if any action would be taken for his return to work.
“The city takes care of it […] to weigh all relevant factors before making the decision it deems most appropriate,” said spokesman Alain Côté.
– With the collaboration of Ian Gemme
Eric Simard Shopkeeper
“I came back in 1994 and got this job in 2013. I waited a long time before I got this job. It’s the only job I wanted. Every morning I was happy doing this job that I loved. […] Since then my life has been hell. I am not happy. Coming here is a nightmare. »
Michel Lessard Blue Collar
“Everything came out. I started to cry. I couldn’t stop. […] The two bosses are out. They asked me what I had […] I explained it to them. It can’t go on. He’s always after me. I can not stand it anymore. »
His union representative books him a promotion
While Jonathan Emond is at home on a probationary period that prohibits him from approaching a colleague, his union rep tries to book a promotion for him.
In recent weeks, the city of Mount Royal has advertised the position of chief mechanic, which many workers could covet.
However, a delegate from the Syndicat des Cols bleus, grouped in Montreal, made it clear to all that the position was reserved for Mr Emond.
“I would like that out of solidarity persinne (sic) position not to come back to JONATHAN (sic), thank you,” wrote delegate Robert Babajko in particular on the local association’s Facebook page.
Reached by phone, Mr. Babajko said he had “accepted” his position, which does not bring all the workers together as Mr. Emond would have the skills required for the position.
A position “belongs to him”
“According to the collective agreement, the position goes to Mr. […] In my union duties, I will do everything in my power to give Mr what is his,” he told us.
However, Mr. Babajko did not clearly answer our question as to why it was necessary for him to intervene in this way in a process that is nevertheless well monitored according to the candidates’ skills and seniority.
CUPE 301 said this was a “personal” initiative of Mr. Babajko and not an official union position.
“All union members have the right to be heard and represented. […] It goes without saying that 301 condemns all forms of harassment,” said Luc Bisson, President of CUPE 301.
COMPETITION
The union also filed a complaint to challenge the severity of the sanctions imposed on Mr Emond in relation to two counts of harassment, the city confirmed to us.
Keep in mind that the 301 is recovering from surveillance introduced from 2017-2020 due to work climate issues and internal malfunctions.
The union fears more similar cases
Jonathan Emond would not be the only case to have attempted intimidation at Mount Royal, fears the Union of Municipal Officials of Montreal, which is launching its own investigation for fear of an escalation of the situation.
City officials told our Bureau of Investigations of strained relationships, even a climate of fear, between certain workers and other employees, such as managers and clerks.
“There’s something poisonous there. The city always manages to sweep it under the rug – the rug so as not to have a bad image, ”an executive confided in us on condition of anonymity.
“Emond is not the only case. Service management knows about it but doesn’t do anything,” says another executive.
Foreman Dave Potvin claims to have called Mayor Malouf a number of times to update him on the unhealthy climate among workers. The latter would have told him that he wanted to let his administration take care of the situation.
The situation worries the Union of Municipal Officials of Montreal.
“We find it’s bigger than we thought. It’s not just one individual, it’s apparently multiple individuals. We will take steps,” spokesman Patrick Dubois said.
As an example, he cites the suicide of an employee of the Montreal Fire Department (SIM), Stéphane Archambault, in 2012, particularly due to the toxic work environment. “We don’t want to go there. […] We must protect our world. »
After initially indicating that it was unaware, the City of Mount Royal wrote to us that it “will make sure to proactively investigate the situation.”
Do you have any information about this story that you would like to share with us?
Do you have a scoop that might be of interest to our readers?