Ahead of hearing, DPW employee, union say workplace culture needs to change [Video]

BALTIMORE, Md. — You can repair sinks and HVAC systems, start supplying your employees with water, and renovate aging buildings. But changing an entire workplace culture takes more work and time. That’s what city leaders say needs to happen at the Baltimore City DPW.

​“The toxic culture at DPW must be gutted. The hazing, intimidation, and bullying must end,” AFSCME President Patrick Moran said at an August 6 rally.

Mayor Brandon Scott echoed those sentiments the next day at a press conference, saying: ​“Anybody who’s participating in treating our employees the wrong way, or doing things like that, and we catch you, you will be held accountable.”​

Those warnings came days after DPW worker Ronald Silver II died from a heat stroke while out collecting trash. His death followed reports from the Office of Inspector General detailed unsafe work conditions, mostly heat-related, at several DPW sites.

On Aug. 2, according …