Employer Violated Workplace Violence Law: Ontario Arbitrator

An Ontario arbitrator has found that an employer violated Bill 168 which introduced workplace violence provisions into Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The Labourers' International Union of North America, Local 506, referred a workplace violence grievance to the Ontario Labour Relations Board. For some reason, the employer did not file the necessary response form with the OLRB. As such, the OLRB proceeded to hear the grievance without the employer having filed any materials.

On the basis of the facts stated by the union, the OLRB found that a principal of the employer had assaulted, on a job site, a labourer employed by the employer, and that the principal later threatened another worker with physical violence and death.