United Steelworkers, the USW, says criminal charges against a Sudbury company and its owner in connection to a worker’s death in 2017 validates the Westray amendments campaign.
Thirty-nine-year old Rheal Dionne, an employee of Rainbow Concrete, was killed on February 15th, 2017.
Yesterday the Moose reported Rainbow Concrete owner Boris Naneff has been charged with criminal negligence causing death.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour has laid 12 charges in under the Occupational Health and Safety Act against Rainbow Concrete, its owners and two supervisors.
USW Local 6500 in Sudbury has been supporting the Dionne family and has offered representation to the family for the criminal prosecution process.
USW Ontario Director, Marty Warren, says the criminal investigation and charges validates the union’s campaign for greater enforcement of the Westray amendments to the Criminal Code holding corporate directors, executives and managers criminally accountable for workplace death and injury.
Rheal Dionne is survived by his wife and their son, as well as his parents. Rheal’s father Julien Dionne is a retired USW member in Sudbury who was a lifelong workplace health and safety activist.
The union also has worked with Sudbury police on awareness and training issues related to the Westray Law.
“We commend the Greater Sudbury Police Service for conducting a criminal investigation into this tragedy and for proceeding with Criminal Code charges,” said USW National Director Ken Neumann.
“There have been more than 10,000 workplace-related deaths in Canada since the Westray Act was enacted and there have been very few criminal convictions and even fewer jail sentences for employers responsible for these deaths,” Neumann noted.
“Unfortunately, police officers in Canada are still not trained and directed to properly enforce the Westray Law. Our union and many allies across the country will continue with our national campaign to demand that the Westray Law is enforced to the greatest extent possible,” he added.
The USW campaign, Stop the Killing, Enforce the Law, calls on provincial and territorial governments to implement specific measures to ensure greater enforcement of the Westray Law. For details on the campaign, visit www.stopthekilling.ca.
The USW also is calling on the new Government of Ontario to do more to hold companies and their directors accountable for workplace death and injury.
“The Premier and his Attorney General and Labour Minister must initiate protocols and training for prosecutors and law enforcement to ensure enforcement of the Westray Law. These are critical investments that are needed to ensure safe and healthy workplaces in Ontario,” Warren said.
“The Ontario government must step up and enforce the law – for the people.”
