Montreal blue-collar union says worker's suicide came after harassment

The union representing Montreal blue-collar workers says it's a toxic workplace as it highlighted the story of Marie-Hélène Henry, who they say faced months of harassment before she took her own life.

 Henry's friends say the job was much more demanding than it ever should be.

"Marie-Hélène's father was in palliative care in the last stages of terminal cancer, and when her colleagues would catch her crying, they'd say, 'Go cry elsewhere. We don't want to see you cry,'" said Marie-Claude Piguet.

Henry worked for the City of Montreal at the Botanical Gardens. It was a job she loved, but the working conditions worsened over time. She was 47 years old when she took her own life in August.

"I would qualify it as harassment, because it was happening on a daily basis. At first, it was unpleasant, then it became dangerous," said Piguet.

According to the union, the city failed to ensure their employees were safe.

"Even one week, the first day you see the person… oh, maybe you need a break or something. There are a lot of questions one could ask," said Gino Clyford Luberisse of the blue-collar workers' union.

"Basically blue-collar work can be very much a macho workplace, a macho work culture," said Fo Niemi of the Center of Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR).

The city announced in the spring that it would overhaul the way it processes complaints, but the change is only expected to be in place by the fall.

The union said the current zero-tolerance policy isn't being enforced.

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante responded on Friday, saying, "There is an inquiry, and whatever comes out, we will follow it because we want to assure our employees a safe and happy working environment."

The coroner is investigating Henry's death, but her friends and family say it's insufficient.

"I would like to see real action, and not comments from the mayor telling us, 'Please contact the resources available to you.' She did," said Piguet. "She did use those resources."