One carpenter told the Star his job hours were cut off after he refused to go door to door hammering in Liberal Party of Ontario signs in the final days of an election campaign.
The 900-strong Maintenance and Construction Skilled Trades Council is run by Jimmy Hazel, a powerful figure who is on the hot seat over inflated charges for minor jobs at Toronto?s public schools. Installation of a simple electric outlet was billed at almost $3,000; screwing in a pencil sharpener was $143. Hazel, who has tried to use his influence to have a principal who complained about high charges fired, said he has done nothing wrong.
Analysis by the Star shows Hazel and his affiliates have provided at least $118,000 in donations to trustees and Liberal MPPs in a recent four-year period. The donations come from Hazel?s trades council, Hazel and his executives personally, and the affiliated unions (electrical, etc.) that make up the trades council, which has an exclusive contract for work at the Toronto District School Board.
In a response to questions, Hazel said all of his political activities are decisions made by ?the Council?s political action committee and decisions to donate and direct donations reflect the best interests of our members.? Hazel did not respond to questions about union members who feel pressured by him to campaign for trustees and MPPs.
The Star has interviewed 10 workers who either campaigned or, in a few cases, refused to campaign.
One, a carpenter who worked for the school board?s trades council last year, learned the hard way that if you don?t help the union campaign for the Ontario Liberal party, you don?t keep your job.
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Toronto News: Toronto schools
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