Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) has won a 'groundbreaking' settlement of $10,000 in a bullying and sexual harassment case involving a group of workers at the province's largest hospital.

Halifax (21 Dec. 2007) - The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) has won a "groundbreaking" settlement of $10,000 in a bullying and sexual harassment case involving a group of workers at the province's largest hospital.

The employees, who work for the Capital District Health Authority (CDHA), were victims of bullying and harassment by a manager who is no longer employed by the authority. "There was sexual harassment. There was inappropriate comments. People were very uncomfortable. Their job security was threatened quite often," says NSGEU president Joan Jessome.

In all, 17 of the 25 people in the same department complained about the work environment. Their grievance went unresolved for nearly two years until arbitrator Susan Ashley handed down a decision this month.

Ashley said the workplace environment was so bad she ordered the authority's CEO to write a letter of apology to the employees and awarded the group $10,000 in damages.

"That's unheard of, that's groundbreaking," Jessome says. The employees are free to spend the money how they want. Those who were forced off the job because of harassment will have sick time reinstated and will be compensated for lost overtime. NUPGE

(Published as n21de07c.htm)