National Steel Car temporarily suspended operations on Thursday due to protests from union representatives and residents just days after a workplace death at the Hamilton, Ont., rail manufacturer.
In a social media post to its employees and partners, the east Hamilton outlet said the two-day postponement was for safety reasons and that it expects to return to normal operations on Monday.
“We have been made aware of a planned protest this afternoon at our main entrance that will impede the safe entry and exit of our facility,” the rail car maker said in a Facebook post.
The president of the United Steelworkers characterized the death of welder Quoc Le, 51, on Monday and a pair of previous fatalities as result of “a culture of unsafe work.”
“So what occurred here, in my opinion, potentially amounts to criminal negligence,” Frank Crowder, president of United Steelworkers Local 7135 told a crowd of about 100 at the Kenilworth Avenue North facility on June 9.
“Our union is calling on the Hamilton police for a criminal investigation to determine if criminality was involved in the death of this member.”
Myles Sullivan, director of the United Steelworkers district, echoed Crowder’s sentiments and suggested the manufacturer was responsible since “they direct the work force” and are “responsible for the safety of the workforce.”
“I ask the Ministry of Labour, don’t just do this investigation and walk away and close the books,” Sullivan said.
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“Comb that plant from one end to the other. The policies, the procedures, the inspections.”
The Ministry of Labour (MLTSD) told Global News the latest investigation at National Steel Car was initiated after “industrial material” allegedly fell on Le Monday.
Hamilton police say he was hit by a 900 kg bulkhead before taken to a local trauma centre with vital signs absent around 8 p.m.
A pair of ministry inspectors were dispatched to the scene with one issuing an undisclosed workplace requirement to the rail company that night.
Last year, the Ontario director of the United Steelworkers (USW) asked for a review of the health and safety program at National Steel Car following painter Collin Grayley’s April 2021 death and crane operator Fraser Cowan’s in Sept. 2020.
Grayley’s father, Clifford, made an appearance at Thursday’s demonstration and says he’s still looking for answers to his son’s death after he was found injured on a scissor lift.
“Every garage door has a safety feature on it, and if your child goes out there and the garage door comes down, it automatically goes back up,” Grayley told Global News.
“Why can’t they have a safety feature on these lifts that if somebody is leaning in and it crosses the laser beam, it stops?”
The Hamilton company is facing five charges connected with Ontario health and safety laws for Grayley’s death and another three tied to Cowan’s incident.
Both matters are still before the courts.
Global News has reached out to National Steel Car for a statement on all three matters but has yet to receive any correspondence from the company.
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