SaskTel Centre ordered to pay $600k after wrongfully firing 2 employees

Former Credit Union Centre staff clear their names Seven years after their dismissal, two former employees will get a payout. Laura Woodward has the details.

Two former employees of SaskTel Centre will get a payout seven years after a wrongful dismissal.

A judge ordered SaskTel Centre to pay 20 months worth of income and benefits to Brian Swidrovich, the then Credit Union Centre’s former director of business development, and 24 months to William Antonishyn, the former director of ticketing and finance.

Their lawyer, Larry Seiferling, estimates they will each receive about $300,000 – excluding interest and court fees.

The judge decided the city-owned facility’s executive director, Will Lofdahl, didn’t have cause to fire the men.

“I think back to when this first started, and I was sitting with some veterans and a couple of the fellas said, 'Brian, there's three things worth fighting for in this world: your country, your family and your reputation," Swidrovich said.

In 2012, Swidrovich and Antonishyn were fired after being accused of misspending company money during a trip.

Swidrovich, Antonishyn and three clients went to Arizona in 2011. Nearly $8,000 was spent on items such as airfare, meals, drinks, golf and tickets to an Arizona Cardinals football game.

"The trip that we took was 100 per cent business. It was just like many other trips that we've done over the years, many trips that they still do,” Swidrovich said.

Swidrovich said the point of the trip was to impress the clients by taking them to a Cardinals NFL game – all while gathering information on what it would take were Saskatoon to ever apply for a CFL team.

According to the judge’s decision document, “Each subordinate director could spend up to $15,000 without the Executive Director's approval."

"The most important thing I got from the judge's decision, was that the trip was approved. It was taken within policy and spending authorities,” said Swidrovich.

The city said SaskTel Centre’s legal team is reviewing the 70-page document.

“SaskTel is looking forward to concluding this matter," city solicitor Patricia Warwick said.

The city has a month to appeal the judge’s decision.

Swidrovich said he’s considering suing SaskTel Centre for moral and punitive damages.

"There's still some issues left untouched and I'll be discussing further with my lawyer."