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BC Hydro is conducting an internal investigation into whether a group of workers in at least five B.C. cities supplied power to illegal marijuana grow-ops.
Doug McKay, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, wants BC Hydro to explain why they have accused 18 employees, mostly line workers, of stealing equipment or installing hydro bypasses at illegal grow-ops.
The employees are on paid leave while the investigation continues, McKay said, adding that the workers he has spoken to claim they were "just doing their job" and not involved in the drug trade.
The investigation has been going on for about eight months ago, according to McKay. But he said the company only notified the union on Monday.
McKay said either some workers are not being truthful, or BC Hydro is involved in "a witch-hunt" against the members, but either way he wants answers from the company as soon as possible.
"I'm frustrated to the end of this thing," he said on Thursday. "There is not much I can do for anyone until I have all the facts."
One of the issues may be whether workers supplied power to a legal marijuana grow-op, where hydro customers hold legitimate licenses from Health Canada to grow medical marijuana, said McKay. Or, he added, another explanation might be that the workers were called out to do repairs and did not know there was an illegal grow-op.
BC Hydro spokeswoman Simi Heer confirmed an internal investigation is underway, but she has provided no specific details.
"We are conducting a thorough, internal investigation into the conduct of a small number of employees who appear to have been involved in the theft of BC Hydro equipment or other activities that would constitute a violation of our Code of Conduct," she said, in an email.
"This is an internal personnel matter at the moment and we cannot provide further information at this time."
Heer said the company wants to ensure that the group's conduct is not affecting the safety of the public or BC Hydro employees.
The workers under investigation are from two Metro Vancouver cities: Surrey and Coquitlam. There are also workers on leave from Prince George, Westbank and Campbell River.
Peter Thiessen, a spokesman for the RCMP, would not confirm whether Mounties were also investigating the allegations. He said in an email that it would be more appropriate for BC Hydro to address the situation.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: edmontonjournal.com
Author: Tiffany Crawford
Contact: Contact Us - Edmonton Journal
Website: BC Hydro workers suspended with pay amid marijuana grow-op probe
Doug McKay, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, wants BC Hydro to explain why they have accused 18 employees, mostly line workers, of stealing equipment or installing hydro bypasses at illegal grow-ops.
The employees are on paid leave while the investigation continues, McKay said, adding that the workers he has spoken to claim they were "just doing their job" and not involved in the drug trade.
The investigation has been going on for about eight months ago, according to McKay. But he said the company only notified the union on Monday.
McKay said either some workers are not being truthful, or BC Hydro is involved in "a witch-hunt" against the members, but either way he wants answers from the company as soon as possible.
"I'm frustrated to the end of this thing," he said on Thursday. "There is not much I can do for anyone until I have all the facts."
One of the issues may be whether workers supplied power to a legal marijuana grow-op, where hydro customers hold legitimate licenses from Health Canada to grow medical marijuana, said McKay. Or, he added, another explanation might be that the workers were called out to do repairs and did not know there was an illegal grow-op.
BC Hydro spokeswoman Simi Heer confirmed an internal investigation is underway, but she has provided no specific details.
"We are conducting a thorough, internal investigation into the conduct of a small number of employees who appear to have been involved in the theft of BC Hydro equipment or other activities that would constitute a violation of our Code of Conduct," she said, in an email.
"This is an internal personnel matter at the moment and we cannot provide further information at this time."
Heer said the company wants to ensure that the group's conduct is not affecting the safety of the public or BC Hydro employees.
The workers under investigation are from two Metro Vancouver cities: Surrey and Coquitlam. There are also workers on leave from Prince George, Westbank and Campbell River.
Peter Thiessen, a spokesman for the RCMP, would not confirm whether Mounties were also investigating the allegations. He said in an email that it would be more appropriate for BC Hydro to address the situation.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: edmontonjournal.com
Author: Tiffany Crawford
Contact: Contact Us - Edmonton Journal
Website: BC Hydro workers suspended with pay amid marijuana grow-op probe
