Worker at centre of abuse storm paid more than mayor

Themunicipal employee at the centre of abuse allegations in the Transportation and Works Departmentin Mississauga, Ont., earned a higher salary in 2009 than the city's mayor.

According to public documents, Domenic Galamini made about $3,000 more in 2009 than Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion the highest paid mayor in Canada.

Galaminiisan assistantsupervisor in the Transportation and Works Departmentwho has been accused by anotheremployee of encouraging physical abuse and hazing in the workplace.

On Tuesday, CBC News reported allegations fromcity employee Alex Juani and confirmed by other workers that some employees of the Mississauga Department of Transportation and Works had beaten and abused other workers for years all of it sanctioned and encouraged by Galamini, who remains on the job.

A cellphone video recording made by one of the employees and obtained by CBC News, shows two men lying face to face on a table with their hands, torsos and legs duct taped.

There are also allegations that a temporary worker was forced to have his head shaved.The workers also said they witnessed spankingsdoled outsometimes on birthdays, other times as punishment that were often so severe they left bruises or marks.

The workers claim Galamini instigated many of these incidents and allowed them to happen up to two to three times per week.

Labour Ministry knew about hazing allegations

The so-called sunshine list of public servant salariespublished by the government of Ontario reports Galamini's salary as $138,251.47 in 2009.He is listed as an assistant supervisor in the sign shop of the transportation maintenance section of the Works department.

By comparison, McCallion earned $135,000 as mayor, according to the list. However, she also receives roughly another $40,000 forsitting on the Peel Regional Council.

"I did see the video on TV like everyone else, and, you know, violence and harassment is not condoned and not tolerated here in the province of Ontario," said Labour Minister Peter Fonseca.

Fonseca said his officials went to Mississauga after hearing about the hazings but they didn't take any action because the incidents had already been investigated by the city.

The city said it was first approached about the hazings by an employee in November 2009. It hired a private investigator, Dean Benard, to look into the allegations and said it took appropriate disciplinary action as a result of his investigation.

"What [the inspectors from the Labour Ministry] found was the city had made changes to their policies around violence and harassment, and staff had been trained in terms of violence and harassment," Fonesca said.

"I understand there is a police probe continuing with the City of Mississauga, and we will be there to assist in any way that we can."

Peel Regional Police said Wednesday they had finally seen the videotape of the incident and had reopened the investigation they had begun around the same time as the city started looking into the original complaint.

Police had found no criminal wrongdoing at that time, but a spokesman said criminal charges could be laid as a result of the new investigation.

Investigation pointed to 'horseplay,' not abuse, says city

Benard said he did an in-depth investigation and that the documents released this week by the city are only a small portion of the report he prepared for municipal authorities.

The heavily censored report released by the city says that all witnesses who were interviewed said "practical jokes" and "hazing" took place in the sign shop but that these were "appreciated, good-natured and voluntary."

"The report that was released by the city is a two-page summary of, as you can imagine, a much larger report with a lot more detail," said Benard.

The city has refused to release Benard's full report soit is unclearhow many people were affected by the hazings and exactly how far back the allegations go.

Benard's investigation ended several months ago.It concluded Galamini allowed inappropriate behaviour but Benard said he could not substantiate allegations that Galamini intimidated and bullied his staff.

"The investigation revealed that there certainly was employee conduct that was inappropriate," said city manager Janice Tripp. "However, the investigator felt that it was more in the nature of horseplay."

CUPE, the union representing the Mississauga workers, declined to comment.

McCallion told CBC on Thursday it should be up to city councillors to decide what discipline is appropriate for the people who did the hazing.

A day earlier, she said the city wouldn't take any furthersteps because "we took the necessary action."

She plans to bring up the matter at council next week.