TORONTO — Former Unifor president Jerry Dias was not charged as the results of an investigation launched final 12 months into allegations that the longtime union chief accepted a bribe, Toronto police mentioned Thursday.
The police’s monetary crimes unit started investigating the previous president of Canada’s largest personal sector union final spring after the union handed over cash Dias allegedly accepted from a provider of COVID-19 fast take a look at kits he promoted to members. Police mentioned Thursday that the investigation has been concluded.
Unifor on the time charged Dias with violating the code of ethics and democratic practices of the union’s structure, and mentioned a listening to can be held earlier than the nationwide government board.
Unifor’s director of authorized and constitutional issues Anthony Dale mentioned in a press release Thursday that the union’s personal issues regarding Dias have been concluded to its satisfaction and he’ll not be topic to a listening to course of beneath the union’s structure. He mentioned Dias is not a Unifor member, and so the union’s structure and listening to processes not apply to him.
Dias mentioned in a press release that he reached a “satisfactory legal settlement” with Unifor. Dale characterised it as an “understanding.”
Dale mentioned the union was knowledgeable by police on the finish of 2022 that no prison cost can be laid, however the union’s personal conclusion was unrelated to the police investigation.
Dias mentioned that these developments “reinforce what I have always known to be true: that over my 45-year career, I have consistently acted with integrity and in the best interests of Unifor members.”
‘IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON’
Dias mentioned the allegations in opposition to him weren’t true.
“I have never made a dime outside of my salary with Unifor, and I have always lived by the union’s Code of Conduct,” he mentioned.
“In saying this, it is time to move on with my life.”
Dale mentioned the union stands by the findings of its unbiased investigator’s report on which its allegations had been based mostly.
The union had mentioned Dias allegedly gave a Unifor worker $25,000, which he mentioned was half of the cash from the provider, and the worker subsequently filed a criticism beneath the Unifor code of ethics and delivered the cash to the union.
Dias dedicated to coming into a rehabilitation facility within the wake of the incident, saying his use of painkillers, sleeping tablets and alcohol to cope with a sciatic nerve problem had impaired his judgment.
Dias started a medical go away on Feb. 6, 2022, round per week after being notified in regards to the union’s unbiased investigation into the matter. He was already set to retire that 12 months, however did so early.
Dias mentioned Thursday that he has obtained medical consideration to cope with “serious health issues including debilitating sciatica,” and has additionally obtained help to get rid of his dependence on opioids to cope with ache. He mentioned he regrets the distraction to members, and thanked those that reached out to him.
Dias had been the president of Unifor since 2013 when it was created as a merger between two unions. He was an outspoken determine of the labour motion in Canada, enjoying an key position through the negotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the profitable struggle to reopen the General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ontario.
In an election in August 2022, former nationwide secretary-treasurer Lana Payne was elected the brand new president of Unifor, operating in opposition to Dias’ former government assistant Scott Doherty, in addition to Dave Cassidy, president of Unifor Local 444.
Dias mentioned within the assertion that he’s pleased with his work as Unifor’s first president.
“While I will no longer be leading the actions on the picket lines and at the bargaining table, I will always be Unifor’s number one supporter.”
Source: canada.autonews.com