Bjornson claims he was promised union job if he quit as MLA

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This article was published 03/10/2017 (2984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former NDP education minister Peter Bjornson says in court documents that he resigned his seat two years ago as a condition set by the Manitoba Teachers’ Society before he would be formally offered a guaranteed job.

Bjornson is suing MTS and its general secretary, Bobbi Taillefer, for allegedly reneging on the promise of a union staff job, after he resigned his Gimli seat Aug. 7, 2015.

Bjornson said in his statement of claim that Taillefer intentionally and/or negligently told him that she wanted him for the job, had hiring authority, and would not hold his lack of French against him.

Bjornson claims: “The plaintiff says that in reliance upon the representations, on or around Aug. 7, 2015, he resigned from his position as an MLA and applied for the position.

“The plaintiff had to resign from his position as an MLA in order to obtain an interview and be the successful applicant for the position,” Bjornson said in his statement of claim.

None of Bjornson’s allegations has been proven in court, and he said by email Tuesday he has been advised not to comment. The MTS and Taillefer have not yet filed a statement of defence, and would not comment Tuesday.

While Manitoba elections law has extensive regulations and penalties for inducing a candidate to step aside, and for accepting such inducements, there appears to be no legislation specifically covering an MLA being required to give up a seat in order to get a job or any other benefit. The Legislative Assembly Act addresses only inducements influencing what an MLA does in the House or committee.

“The key question is, what’s meant by inducing?” University of Manitoba ethics Prof. Arthur Schafer, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics, said in an interview Tuesday. “What’s the spirit of the legislation and the intent of the law?”

Schafer said it would only be an issue if someone alleges that an inducement to get an MLA to resign is politically-motivated, intended to open up his or her seat. “It’s not aimed at someone who offers you a job,” said Schafer.

Management and human resources expert Barbara Bowes, president of the Bowes Legacy Group, said Tuesday she’s never heard of an employer requiring someone to give up a good job before being given an interview.

“It would be foolish on the part of a candidate to quit a job before receiving a job offer in writing,” Bowes said in an interview. “I’ve never heard of that before — the employer would not expect someone to quit their job.

Bjornson had told the Free Press in an interview published Aug. 11, 2015, right after his resignation, that he wanted to spend more time with his family. While Bjornson said that although he didn’t have a new job lined up yet, he planned to pursue opportunities in the areas of education or administration.

Bjornson makes no mention in his statement of claim of any written documentation about the alleged job offer, conditions, and promises.

Bjornson says that Taillefer first approached him in March of 2015 to apply to be the union’s assistant general secretary. He did so, but didn’t get the job.

Then, in May of 2015, he claims, “Taillefer advised the plaintiff that there would be other staff officer positions with MTS opening up in the near future.”

Bjornson claims that Taillefer told him he would be hired if he applied, but had to quit first as an MLA. He says MTS told him in October of 2015 that he was turned down because he couldn’t speak French, which he alleges Taillefer had assured him was not an issue.

Bjornson is claiming mental and emotional distress and harm. “The plaintiff has suffered damages, including loss of employment income and related benefits,” says his claim. He is seeking general and aggravated damages, costs, interest, and any further damages the court awards.

The former high school history teacher, first elected in Gimli in 2003, now lectures at the University of Winnipeg.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca