Construction worker fired after noose found at Eglinton Crosstown worksite
Posted July 30, 2020 2:13 pm.
A worker has been fired and kicked out of his union after a noose was found hanging at the Eglinton Crosstown construction site.
The incident is still under investigation by the police, but the employer and union have already taken action against the worker who had only recently joined the union.
The noose was found near Dufferin Street and Eglinton Avenue West, the future site of Fairbank Station.
President of Local 27 of the Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario, Michael Yorke, told 680 NEWS the discovery of the noose Tuesday night was both disgusting and shocking.
“Given that it’s not the first occasion in the city of Toronto and on a construction site, we believe that a coordinated response from the industry has been necessary,” said Yorke.
Yorke said because the matter is now a police investigation, he can not identify the worker they’ve let go, but does confirm he is white.
Yorke added they will not dispute the firing of that worker by Crosslinx Transit Solutions and supported the firing of the individual.
He says Local 27 recently signed on to the “Charter of Inclusive Workplaces,” in response to other nooses discovered around Toronto construction sites.
Yorke said union members were also supportive of the decision.
“It sends a signal to the young people out in the community of Toronto that when you come into our organization you come into an organization that’s going to stand up for and treat you with respect and dignity,” said Yorke.
A statement released Wednesday by the union said, “Behavior that makes anyone feel unsafe on construction worksites will not be tolerated, and accountability rests on everyone in the industry to create safe and respectful workplaces.”
This is the third instance in which a noose was found hanging at a construction site, one at a site near Michael Garron Hospital and one in Regent Park. Police continue to investigate both instances.
