What Councillor Hunter has overlooked in the recent debate is that the respectful workplace policy is expressly designed to protect staff from people like him.

First of all, let’s remember why we have workplace policies. A workplace policy is built on the understanding that the workplace is a special environment, and needs policies that are designed accordingly. Many of these policies concentrate on protecting employees from the people they work for because threats from the general public are already covered under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

If, for example, a senior official were to make sexual advances to a younger and more vulnerable employee, the employee’s response might be complicated by the fear of losing their job. They might even be afraid to ask for police help for actions taken outside the workplace. This is where the policy is needed.

Another example would be the disclosure of embarrassing or even illegal actions of senior staff. It takes courage for junior employees to stand up and speak out, and who would do that without the protection of a workplace policy?

The respectful workplace policy is a valuable document, but we must be careful that it truly supports both workers and society as a whole. The power relations of the workplace make it inevitable that certain kinds of personalities will try to dominate. Imagine a city where a manipulative senior staffer threatens junior workers into ignoring or downgrading valid complaints against them.

It’s possible.

Imagine a city where a dishonest councillor pushes a junior employee into making false accusations.

It could happen.

Our policy should prevent staffers from being used for personal or political advantage, just as it should not be used as a tool for political control of the general population.

The respectful workplace policy is supposedly being revised, but I don’t have hopes of seeing that anytime soon. Even Councillor Hunter had the grace to admit it was a low priority. It could take years. The policy still hangs over the residents of Stratford, and will continue to be a hindrance to the participation of its residents in the workings of this city.

But let’s put the confrontations of the last four months into perspective. No one got shipped off to a re-education camp. There were no beatings. No handcuffs were waved about (the police, realizing the ridiculousness of the situation, refused to act).

We’re just talking about a few people deprived of their ability to participate in local government. A few people intimidated. A few people who might not be volunteering next time. A minority of residents whose right to free speech has been suppressed. The people of Stratford can sleep easy, knowing things like this will not happen to them.

Unless, of course, they step out of line.

 

Sharon Collingwood
With thanks to the Beacon Herald, letter published August 1, 2024

 

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