"The Next Element To Attack Is Fire": Employee Properly Dismissed For Threatening / Intimidating Statement

An Ontario arbitrator has upheld the discharge of a "modern day prophet" who stated, "the first element to attack is water – the next is fire" after being told that she was suspended for five days.

The employer had issued the five-day suspension to the employee for carelessly packing defective product.  The employee asked to speak with the plant manager, and then made the water-fire statement.  Her statement had particular poignancy because of a serious flood at the facility approximately one year earlier.

The employer discharged the employee.  The union grieved.  At the arbitration hearing, the employee testified that "there was too much wickedness in the plant" and that the manager's disciplinary decisions had been wicked and unreasonable.  She stated that she was a religious person and that she believed that bad things happen to wicked people.  She also said that she had no intention of starting any fires and did not intend any threat.  She refused to apologize.