Worker Appropriately Fired for Threatening to Give Co-Worker a Black Eye

An employer fired a worker for several reasons including threatening to blacken a co-worker’s eyes. The union argued termination was excessive. The arbitrator ruled that termination was warranted for the threat and use of inappropriate language. The worker had been suspended for insubordination and disrespectful conduct shortly before this incident. The co-worker hadn’t provoked the worker. And being called a “loudmouth” by the co-worker hardly deserved a profanity-laced response and threat of physical violence [Teck Coal Ltd. (Line Creek Operations) v. International Union of Operating Engineers, Local No. 115 (Graham Grievance), [2011] B.C.C.A.A.A. No. 135, Dec. 7, 2011].