Chris MacDonald, national assistant to former Unifor president Jerry Dias, was the whistleblower who reported an alleged kickback scandal after being passed over for an endorsement in the upcoming election for union president, the Star has learned.
Dias, who was under “significant stress” after being forced to choose between two “close friends” to endorse as his successor, was consuming heavy amounts of drugs and alcohol when he allegedly took $50,000 from a COVID-19 rapid test supplier that he promoted to Unifor employers, according to a psychiatric assessment of the long-time labour leader.
Dias subsequently gave $25,000 to MacDonald, who he did not endorse, and stated that the money was from the test supplier, according to the union.
MacDonald “immediately took steps to report it,” said Unifor secretary-treasurer Lana Payne in a statement. The funds were given to her, and MacDonald filed a breach of ethics complaint.
The psychiatric assessment of Dias, prepared for his lawyer and obtained by the Star, says that “Mr. Dias’s wrongful conduct may have arisen at least in part due to his feelings of loyalty to the individual who was not chosen to succeed him.”
“The events reported by Mr. Dias surrounding the issue in the workplace featured the consumption of...
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