MONTREAL - A stage tech at Parc Jean-Drapeau who claims a co-worker used a racial slur against him says he wants the City of Montreal to take action against discrimination.
An experienced stage rigger, a job that involves heights and installing heavy equipment, Bienne Blemur, 63, says he was assigned to lift equipment for a job in 2016 – a task he says he was overqualified for.
Blemur says that while he was working, he accidentally hit a co-worker on the helmet with a pipe. They allegedly exploded at him, using a racial slur.
"It's always the same phrase that comes back to me," he said.
"Be careful, f----- n-----. It hurts. It always hurts."
After the incident, he says he was reassigned without explanation.
Blemur says he spoke to his employer, who told him being called a racial slur is no worse than "to be laughed at for one's baldness," according to a press release from the Centre for Research Action on Race Relations (CRARR).
The 63-year-old says he filed a complaint with his union three years ago.
He alleges he was promised a safe working environment, but that never happened.
Blemur says his co-worker was promoted, while he was given menial work until he went on stress leave.
"Any black person should not be able to be called the N-word in front of everyone and suffer the additional humiliation of not getting an apology," said Fo Niemi, CRARR executive director.
The organization is asking Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante to intervene.
However, the city refused to comment on the incident Monday, saying the case is still before the courts. Blemur's union also declined to comment.
-- with files from CTV Montreal's Emily Campbell.
