Homophobic Thugs and Slugs
Another 'poisonous' working atmosphere; they exist not only for women working among men in non-traditional workplaces, but equally for gay men in work areas where those who are employed feel a certain sense of machismo, defiled by the presence of a man who is categorically different from most others. The spirit of equality in the recognition of gender equality and equal rights for homosexuals does, obviously, have its limits, made abundantly clear by the experience of a gay guard at an Ottawa prison.
Unfortunately it's a tad late for the complainant, Roger Ranger, who suffered dispiriting abuse for four years, of a kind that left him diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, even though Ontario's Grievance Settlement Board has found in his favour. No one should have to work in an environment replete with homophobic slurs, crude emails and constant invective; it would wear down anyone's sense of self-esteem.
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services spokesman is perplexed, since the ministry has spent $8-million over two years for the precise purpose of reducing sexism and racism among corrections staff. The problem, undoubtedly compounded by the personality types who tend to gravitate to those particular types of work situations. The presence of a gay man an obvious anomaly, and an irresistible target.
The Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre is an overcrowded facility built originally as a minimum-security holding centre for accused awaiting trail. It now has the distinction of holding those whose crimes are of a more serious variety, with matching higher security designation as an institution. Those who work there consider it on the verge of malfunction, inadequate for the purpose for which it was built, badly overcrowded and its staff demoralized.
No one could have become more demoralized than Mr. Ranger who was repeatedly harassed because he was gay. And no one abused Mr. Ranger more viciously than guard Mark Grady, at that time president of the correctional services OPSEU Local 411, who obviously took his work tormenting Mr. Ranger very seriously indeed. A female co-worker testified on Mr. Ranger's behalf, describing a small group of guards who made Mr. Ranger miserable.
In his work life Roger Ranger - even his name seemed to work against him - was repeatedly disparaged, insulted with graphically offensive and taunting emails, mocked, insulted and belittled. Mr. Ranger lodged official complaints with his workplace supervisors but nothing appears ever to have been done to resolve his issues. Mr. Ranger remains on long-term disability as an employee of the Ontario government.
Mr. Grady has had a long and illustrious workplace trajectory, serving as head of the union local, then as vice-president, then promoted to a management position. Bullying machismo works in this world doesn't it? He is now the OCDC's deputy superintendent of operations, and a year ago named assistant coach of the Ottawa 67s. A truly meaningful role model.
Unfortunately it's a tad late for the complainant, Roger Ranger, who suffered dispiriting abuse for four years, of a kind that left him diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, even though Ontario's Grievance Settlement Board has found in his favour. No one should have to work in an environment replete with homophobic slurs, crude emails and constant invective; it would wear down anyone's sense of self-esteem.
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services spokesman is perplexed, since the ministry has spent $8-million over two years for the precise purpose of reducing sexism and racism among corrections staff. The problem, undoubtedly compounded by the personality types who tend to gravitate to those particular types of work situations. The presence of a gay man an obvious anomaly, and an irresistible target.
The Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre is an overcrowded facility built originally as a minimum-security holding centre for accused awaiting trail. It now has the distinction of holding those whose crimes are of a more serious variety, with matching higher security designation as an institution. Those who work there consider it on the verge of malfunction, inadequate for the purpose for which it was built, badly overcrowded and its staff demoralized.
No one could have become more demoralized than Mr. Ranger who was repeatedly harassed because he was gay. And no one abused Mr. Ranger more viciously than guard Mark Grady, at that time president of the correctional services OPSEU Local 411, who obviously took his work tormenting Mr. Ranger very seriously indeed. A female co-worker testified on Mr. Ranger's behalf, describing a small group of guards who made Mr. Ranger miserable.
In his work life Roger Ranger - even his name seemed to work against him - was repeatedly disparaged, insulted with graphically offensive and taunting emails, mocked, insulted and belittled. Mr. Ranger lodged official complaints with his workplace supervisors but nothing appears ever to have been done to resolve his issues. Mr. Ranger remains on long-term disability as an employee of the Ontario government.
Mr. Grady has had a long and illustrious workplace trajectory, serving as head of the union local, then as vice-president, then promoted to a management position. Bullying machismo works in this world doesn't it? He is now the OCDC's deputy superintendent of operations, and a year ago named assistant coach of the Ottawa 67s. A truly meaningful role model.
Labels: Human Relations, Ontario, Ottawa
posted by Pieface @ 6:16 PM
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