City hall workers’ union filing grievance over Ford’s handling of bomb threat

Mayor Rob Ford says he handled Monday’s bomb threat according to police instructions, but police and the union representing city hall employees are not so sure.

CUPE Local 79 is filing a grievance over Ford’s handling of the incident.

Union president Tim Maguire said proper procedure was not followed and the mayor acted irresponsibly by telling the media about the threat.

“It is not acceptable for policies governing employee health and safety to be infected by the same flagrant and casual disregard for the rules that seem to be a way of life in some quarters of city hall these days,” said Maguire in a press release.

Ford told reporters he was acting under the instructions of security staff and police.

“I take my orders, obviously, from the police. And they told me what to do and I did exactly what they said,” he told reporters.

Ford says he talked to police, who advised him to talk to the media.

“We handled it the best way we could,” he said.

But police spokesperson Victor Kwong countered Ford’s version of events.

“Those officers were asked by their supervisors and their recollection differs,” Kwong said.

The union will also ask the Ministry of Labour to investigate and help members file individual grievances if they choose.

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