Leon’s employees fired after black statue hung in effigy
Posted Sep 5, 2013 07:22:56 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Metro Halifax Leon’s furniture outlet is apologizing and has provided its staff with sensitivity and diversity training after firing two employees who hung a black statue in effigy.
The furniture store says it fired the two workers from its Burnside location after an investigation last month.
The investigation was launched after senior management became aware of the incident on Aug. 16.
Leon’s says a 45 centimetre bronze statue with black patina was hung from an office window with electrical tape, its eyes and mouth painted white.
Former employee Elsworth Bottomley tells News 95.7, it wasn’t the first time that kind of incident had happened at the store.
“This was one of many incidents that I’ve had at the store, but this was the most intense and pretty much the point where I say ‘this is it’ and I draw the line,” said Bottomley.
In another incident, Bottomley says he received a text message from a former employee referring to him as
“not being intelligent, very stupid because of my colour.”
Bottomley ended up quitting his job.
Leon’s is set to testify today at a Nova Scoita Human Rights Commission board of inquiry in reference to another allegation of racism in the workplace.
In that case, former employee Garnetta Cromwell alleges she was told to “prepare for a lynching” as she made her way into a performance review with management.
Cromwell says her managers were unable to comprehend how the comment would upset her, as a woman of African-Nova Scotian heritage.
