ATU Local 113 sincerely thanks NDP federal leader Jagmeet Singh for meeting members yesterday to hear the concerns of transit workers.
We thank our members at Eglinton Garage for highlighting the increased safety risks they face on the job, the needs for government agencies, like the police and the City, to work to better protect transit workers, and have better support for those who are underhoused, have mental health and addiction issues who take shelter in the transit system.
Members also spoke about the impact of contracting out good jobs, and the need for leadership at all levels of government to protect transit workers and the public. Our members offered insights into the need for investing in maintaining and operating Toronto’s public transit to keep our city moving.
Singh appreciated members for speaking with him and talked about his current priorities for improving public transit. He stated that public transit should not be seen as makeshift housing for those who are underhoused and that the government needs to do better to address this and other social issues. He spoke about working together with CUTA, ATU Canada and ATU Local 113 on changing laws to increase criminal sanctions against anyone who assault public transit workers, having a National Task Force to ensure public transit needs are addressed effectively, and to make work better for transit workers. 
