June 20, 2013 - 12:00 PM
VANCOUVER - The union representing B.C. Hydro workers says a number of employees have been suspended while the Crown corporation investigates allegations connected to marijuana grow operations.
Doug McKay, business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 258, says he believes the probe centres around cases where workers upgraded transformers on buildings that may have been housing marijuana grow-ops.
The code-of-conduct investigation has been ongoing for several months, and while B.C. Hydro has provided few details, McKay says the Crown corporation suspects workers have been abetting grow-ops.
McKay says the union does not condone code-of-conduct violations, but workers called out to do repairs cannot be expected to knock on customers' doors, asking if an illegal operation is taking place.
He says as many as 18 employees, most of whom are linemen, are being investigated, and a number of them have been sent home with pay.
B.C. Hydro has confirmed it is investigating a small number of employees who appear to have been involved in the theft of B.C. Hydro equipment or other activities that would constitute a violation of the company's code of conduct.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013