FTQ-Construction: the attacker signed his victim’s departure agreement

Even if the FTQ-Construction publicly proclaimed that it knew nothing of the sexual assaults committed by its ex-president Rénald Grondin, its local AMI tried for three years to buy the victim’s silence. And when the latter finally accepted the agreement, it was her own attacker who signed it.

In October 2016, the victim signed a “final and complete release” with the local Association of Inter-Provincial Maneuvers (AMI); she received a taxable sum of approximately $60,000 due to her under her working conditions, but in return agreed to keep the reasons for her departure secret and waived any legal recourse.

It was none other than Rénald Grondin, his attacker, who signed the document in the name of the local AMI.

Negotiations had begun three years earlier, according to documents that our Bureau of Investigation was able to consult.

At the heart of the talks between 2012 and 2016, we find lawyer Robert Laurin, who wore several hats:

• He defended Grondin against his victim before the Commission for Professional Injuries;
• He also represented the local AMI in negotiations with the victim;
• Finally, at the same time, he represented the FTQ-Construction (FTQ-C) before the Charbonneau Commission, which investigated the awarding and management of public contracts in the construction industry.

Reached by telephone, Robert Laurin denied that this could have placed him in a conflict of interest situation.

“I was criticized for not having denounced Mr. Grondin when he was named president of the FTQ-C […]. I am bound by professional secrecy and I am not here to denounce the clients that I represent,” commented the latter, affirming that there had been no “shenanigans” in this matter.

In 2022, when the actions committed by Grondin were revealed, the FTQ-C published a terse press release saying that “no compromising decision concerning Rénald Grondin had come out” when research was carried out on his background. before appointing him to the presidency in 2018.

Neither Rénald Grondin, nor the FTQ-C, nor the local AMI wanted to comment.

Sordid attacks

In its decision of October 31, 2012, the Commission for Professional Injuries details what Grondin’s victim, an administrative secretary, endured for years. The court recognized that she had suffered a professional injury following the attacks she suffered. According to our information, the victim was then declared unfit for work. Here are some excerpts from the decision:

“These attacks resulted in her becoming depressed and having to stop working. She also indicates that she is afraid of reprisals for herself, for her 4-year-old son and for her father.

“Under various pretexts, he [Rénald Grondin] asked her to come to his office and he locked the door and attacked her. The worker explains that she was trying to push him away […]but he trivialized the event and mentioned that he wanted to be “close to his secretary”.”

“The same scheme continued for two years. Sometimes, he attacked her in the underground parking lot of the building after luring her under false pretenses.”

“His superior often said that there was not a person who could go to work elsewhere, using foul language.”

“The court wishes to emphasize that the employer did not offer any evidence contrary to that presented by the worker.”