City workers union files grievance over bomb threat response; says Rob Ford ‘acted inappropriately’

Emailed threats to explode city hall if the Fords did not resign were received Sunday night at city hall offices of Doug Ford and Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly.

A search by Toronto Police found nothing suspicious, but Ford spoke about the threat to the media Monday morning, and Tim Mcguire, the local’s president, said employees found out there was a threat from media reports.

Bomb threats at city hall are supposed to go first to the city manager’s office, which assesses the seriousness of the threat and contacts police.

"The policy broke down in a number of ways," Mcguire said in a press conference Friday.

"We think the mayor acted inappropriately."

Though city hall was not evacuated Monday, some CUPE members – "not a lot, a few" – heard about the threat and asked to leave the building, Mcguire said.

You might be interested in

{{type}}

{{title}}

• Dec 31, 1969
• Comments

{{type}}

{{title}}

• Dec 31, 1969
• Comments

"They do have the right to approach a supervisor and say, ‘I’d like to leave.’"

If the bomb-threat protocol, which meant to keep people calm, isn’t followed, "there could be pandemonium," Mcguire said.

CUPE has contacted the province to ask for an investigation.

Mayor Ford told reporters the threat was "handled the best we could," remembering that he called security at city hall and asked whether media could be informed.

"I did exactly what I was told to do," he said.