Author: Erika Mackenzie

Yesterday, ATU 113 board members and activists walked the picket line in solidarity with on strike LCBO workers. We were hosted by OPSEU picket captain Evan Palmer, the son of YUS shop steward, Syd Palmer. Thank you to everyone who came out.

OPSEU members at LCBO have been forced on strike due to unreasonable demands from the employer. Doug Ford is trying to move LCBO down the road to privatization just as he is trying to do with public transit. We TTC workers know the dangers of selling off public services. The public gets less while corporations get more. We know that revenue from alcohol sales should continue to fund vital public services, not be redirected into private profits.

In our recent job action, Local 113 members showed that they understand the dangers posed by privatization. With the support of our allies in labour and in the broader community we pushed back – and we won. The level public support we received was astonishing. The people of Ontario understand the need to protect quality jobs and quality public services. The public is fed up with the non-stop race to the bottom to make work precarious and drive workers into poverty.

We are proud to stand with OPSEU and LCBO workers in their demands for decent working conditions, wage increases that reflect inflation, access to full-time jobs and benefits. They have our unwavering support for as long as it takes to win this fight.

ATU Local 113 remains at the bargaining table negotiating with the TTC.

Further progress has been made and we will continue to provide updates as they occur.

ATU Local 113 continues negotiations with the TTC this evening. 

Some progress has been made and we will provide an update on any further progress as it occurs this evening. 

Media Statement

ATU Local 113 has been at the bargaining table since February with our employer, the TTC. Our only objective has been to ensure our members are being advocated for when it comes to a new agreement. For years we haven’t had the opportunity to properly negotiate terms.

Our priorities have been clear since the beginning. Our members deserve the right to job security, similar to sectors and employees across the country. They shouldn’t have to fear having their jobs contracted out. Our members are on the front lines and have been dealing with an increase of violence in the form of physical and verbal assaults. For the situations they have to endure in unsafe work conditions & for the service they provide Toronto, they need to be compensated accordingly.

Unfortunately, the TTC is refusing to work with us at the bargaining table. As of 5pm, today, we have seen no progress on our negotiations.

A full withdrawal of services is not the course of action we want to take. Our members enjoy the work they do & serve Torontonians with pride.

The TTC has left us with no other choice, as we still need to prioritize a new, fair agreement for our transit workers. ATU Local 113 will be moving forward with strike action tomorrow at 12:01 am.

Out of good faith, we are maintaining Wheel Trans services for seniors and those with accessible needs within the community. However, passengers will not have access to subways, streetcars, and buses after midnight. We hope the TTC will use this as an opportunity to work with us to arrive at a new contract & negotiate from the perspective of our workers who keep this city moving.

We will provide updates as negotiations continue this evening.

Today, we celebrate Mother’s Day, an occasion to express gratitude, love, and respect for the incredible moms who have nurtured us and shaped us into who we are. Happy Mother’s Day!

ATU Local 113’s United Indigenous Council (UIC) commemorated Red Dress Day on Sunday with a display at Arrow Road. The dress featured in the display was designed and created by E J Kwandibens, an Indigenous Cultural Educator in Toronto. It was commissioned in 2022 for the UIC’s initiative to raise awareness in our work locations about the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples across Canada. On Red Dress Day and every day, we reflect, grieve, and work together towards ending this ongoing national tragedy.

To learn more about the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, please read the Executive Summary here: EXEC_cover (mmiwg-ffada.ca)

Today is Red Dress Day, an occasion to remember the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples across Canada. On this day centred around solidarity and awareness, ATU Local 113 encourages everyone to wear red as a symbol of unity and commitment to shed light on this ongoing crisis.

On Red Dress Day, we remember the lost lives, stand with the families still seeking answers, and commit to making a change. It’s a day to reaffirm our collective responsibility to work together towards a future where Indigenous women and girls are safe and respected.

May 1^st marks the beginning of Asian Heritage Month, an opportunity for us to learn more about the diverse culture and history of Asian communities in Canada, as well as to acknowledge the many achievements and contributions of people of Asian origin who, throughout our history, have done so much to make Canada the country we know and love.