Two TTC foremen fired after allegedly misusing company materials, funds and labour for a house in Jamaica fought their dismissal by blaming each other, according to court documents obtained by the Star.

The case comes to light on the heels of a major TTC investigation in which five former and current workers were charged with theft, fraud and conspiracy for allegedly bilking the transit agency out of more than $100,000 in tools and equipment.

Brian Greene and David Hewitt were foremen at the TTC when they were fired in January 2013. The two men separately sued the TTC for wrongful dismissal.

“We take all of this very, very seriously,” said TTC spokesman Brad Ross.

Ross said he could not comment on this specific case as it is before the courts, with both men suing the TTC for wrongful dismissal.

Hewitt’s case has been settled with the TTC. Neither Ross nor Hewitt’s lawyer, Leslie Dizgun, would discuss the terms of the resolution. Greene’s lawyer could not be reached for comment.

According to the TTC’s statements of defence, an internal investigation found Hewitt asked Greene to charge the TTC for $3,000 worth of stainless steel to construct balcony and staircase railings for Hewitt’s house in Jamaica.

The railings were similar to those at Victoria Park subway station.

TTC machine shop employees were asked to cut the hundreds of pounds of steel to measure, the statement of defence says, a job worth approximately $800 in labour.

Hewitt had shipped items and materials to Jamaica for his house, on one occasion repairing a personal cement mixer at work for several days on TTC time before sending it south, the statement of defence says.

In Hewitt’s statement of claim, he acknowledges building a home in Jamaica for the past decade, discussing it with co-workers and regularly sharing photos and building details, such as the dimensions of his stairway.

Hewitt was “surprised” when, several weeks after showing a picture of the railing at Victoria Park Subway station, the pre-cut steel appeared at his workplace, and Hewitt confronted Greene, his statement of claim says.

“Greene responded that he had ‘millions’ in his yearly budget and that no one will know,” says Hewitt’s statement of claim.

“At no time did (Hewitt) authorize, approve, or consent to, in any way whatsoever, the cutting or preparation of the materials,” says Hewitt’s statement of claim.

Greene’s statement of claim relays the story differently, saying Hewitt asked him to make a railing for a TTC roof.

“Greene performed work at Hewitt’s request for a proper purpose,” Greene’s statement of claim says. “There was nothing clandestine or out of the ordinary.”

When TTC investigators interviewed Greene, he “failed to provide a coherent or credible explanation for his activities,” and knowingly lied to cover his actions, the statement of defence says.

“(Greene) did not misappropriate materials, funds or labour hours. He did not misrepresent and falsify work request and work orders. He did not provide dishonest, misleading or untruth information,” Greene’s statement of claim says.

Ross said he was not aware of any police involvement in the case.

During the investigation, the TTC also learned Greene’s driver’s licence — which is required for his job — had been suspended in 2012 due to an alcohol-related offence, according to the statement of defence.

Ross pointed to the integrity hotline the TTC introduced in July 2013 as a resource for employees to make anonymous tips to help the agency crack down on illicit behaviour.

“I just want to make sure I’m on the record and the TTC is on the record as taking swift action when these things do come to our attention, and really making some serious efforts internally to change the culture of the TTC,” Ross said.

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“It’s a large organization with a long history, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. But we’re on it,” he said.

The integrity hotline was initially a pilot program, but Ross said it will be implemented permanently.

According to the Ontario Sunshine List, Greene earned $114,387 in 2013, plus benefits. Hewitt earned $126,231 plus benefits.