The arbitrator rejected 'mutual joking' defense and threats sealed worker’s fate
On January 5, 2026, arbitrator James T. Casey, K.C., upheld the firing of a 17‑and‑a‑half‑year employee with a spotless disciplinary record after finding he called Black co‑workers "n***ers" and "monkey" at an Edmonton manufacturing plant, then threatened colleagues who reported him. The decision in Building Products of Canada Corp. and Unifor Union of Canada, Local 777 makes clear that even long service and a rough workplace culture will not save an employee who uses racial slurs.
Dilbagh Lidher worked as a finishing‑end operator at Building Products of Canada Corp.'s shingle plant and had served as union president. In late June 2023, a co‑worker came forward to report two incidents. The first happened in early May, when Lidher approached him at the laminator and asked, "Where are those n***ers at?", referring to two Black employees from Jamaica.
A few weeks later, when another employee asked where the shared forklift had gone, Lidher said "The monkey stole it" and gestured toward a Black colleague driving the machine. Lidher denied both incidents but admitted he routinely called one Black co‑worker "n***a" in what he described as mutual joking, backed by WhatsApp messages where both men used the full term.
Casey summarized the core allegations this way: "In general, it is alleged that the Grievor referred to the two Black employees as 'n***ers' on one occasion, called one of the Black...
A disinformation campaign which has been linked to pro-Russian actors is imitating reputable media outlets to push fake reports about the Middle East war, as part of a campaign to discredit the W...