Dear ATU U.S. and Canadian Local Union Presidents/Business Agents:

We find ourselves in difficult times and the tensions between the United States and Canadian governments are palpable and undeniable. As we navigate these challenges, I write to remind you of the ATU’s steadfast commitment to improving the lives of our members and strengthening our union in both countries.

The solidarity we share as transit workers transcends borders. Stronger together, we form a collective force that is both powerful and necessary to push back against the forces that seek to undermine our rights and diminish our hard-earned progress.

Our strength can be found in our groundbreaking collaborative work. ATU Local 113-Toronto, ON, and the ATU International have worked together to launch the first-of-its-kind Bus Design Innovation Program (BDIP), a project that enhances the safety of our members and sets a new standard for innovation in the transit industry for North America. This is just one of the many ways we are working together to ensure a safer, more secure, and more equitable future for all transit workers.

Our organizing accomplishments in both countries have also been nothing short of transformative. We are growing our ranks and securing contracts that empower our members and strengthen our union. These victories, which would not have been possible without our unwavering unity, are a testament to what we can achieve when we stand and fight together. Every contract we win and every organizing victory we claim brings us closer to achieving fair treatment and dignity that our members deserve.

Our joint efforts across North America continue to lay the foundation for a better tomorrow, a better future.

For over 150 years, Canada and the United States have stood side by side as partners, allies, friends, and neighbors. We cannot allow the actions of a single leader to cloud the relationship that has existed between our people. The bond between Canadian and American workers and our shared struggles is much stronger than any political rhetoric. We must resist the narrative that seeks to create division, especially from those who are taking little regard for the well-being of working people.

This is a moment in history when unions are more essential than ever. Workers across both of our countries need to come together and fight against the harmful agendas seeking to weaken the labor movement.

Our strength lies in our collective action, and the solidarity we have generated across borders is a beacon of hope in these times of uncertainty. Together, we can continue to move forward, building a future where the needs and dignity of working people come first. Don’t let them divide us. Stay strong. Stay united. We are stronger together.

In solidarity,
John A. Costa
International President

c: Yvette J. Trujillo, International Executive Vice President, ATU
Kenneth R. Kirk, International Secretary-Treasurer, ATU
International Vice Presidents, ATU
International Representative, ATU
John Di Nino, President, ATU Canada