Author: Erika Mackenzie

On Transit Worker Appreciation Day, ATU Local 113 is celebrating our hard-working members and transit workers across North America.

Today and every day, we recognize the significant impact of public transit vehicle operators, maintenance crews who keep stations in good order, mechanics who keep our fleet of buses and trains running smoothly, dispatchers who keep us on schedule, and the countless other transit workers who are committed to keeping us all moving safely. While the work can often be challenging, our members continue to serve with professionalism, care, and passion for the community.

Thank you for your exceptional service and your commitment to keep Toronto moving.

Happy Transit Worker Appreciation Day!

Embark on a journey through time with ATU Local 113 as we celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme #InspireInclusion. Join us as we showcase our progress and our longstanding commitment to championing rights and inclusion. Together, let’s reflect on our journey and marvel at how far we’ve come.

For International Women’s Month, ATU Local 113 would like to take a moment to honour and recognize the incredible achievements of women around the world. ATU Local 113 was proud to participate in today’s International Women’s Day March and Rally in Toronto, an event that brought together thousands of women, men, non-binary, and gender-diverse people to march for equality and justice. This month serves as a powerful reminder of the progress we’ve made towards gender equality, as well as the challenges that still lie ahead.

CUPE 3903 representing York University workers including teaching assistants, research assistants, contract faculty, part-time librarians and archivists, are on strike fighting for wages that keep up with inflation, job security, and improved working conditions.

ATU Local 113 Executive Board Members Aleem Tharani, Brian Connolly and Matthew Chau showed our local’s solidarity with them at the strike rally for CUPE Local 3903, held outside the York Subway Station yesterday.

ATU Local 113 is proud to continue supporting the Children’s Breakfast Clubs of Canada’s Black History Month initiative. Local 113 Shop Stewards Robert Amos, Bryan Lewis, Tunika Grace Udoh, Andrew McAnuff, and Jerry Phillips accompanied 200 children on a trip to Ottawa for an up-close look at Parliament in celebration of Black History Month.

Kids head to the capital (citynews.ca)

Today, the province announced the launch of the ‘One Fare’ program. ATU Local 113 believes that the province and the city have not adequately quantified, analyzed and addressed the revenue gaps this fare integration program will create.

The Local will continue its dialogue with the province and the city to ensure that this policy is implemented with a full understanding of the immediate and long-term impact on Toronto’s transit users and transit workers.

Yesterday, ATU Local 113 participated in the launch of Black History Month celebrations with the TTC at Leslie Barns.

Today marks the first day of Black History Month, an opportunity to honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities. The 2024 theme for Black History Month is: “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build”. This theme celebrates the rich past and present contributions and accomplishments of Black people in Canada, while aspiring to embrace new opportunities for the future. ATU Local 113 is taking this opportunity to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black people in Canada. We are dedicated to supporting and uplifting Black communities in Canada all year long.

ATU Local 113 welcomes the decision of the City of Toronto to allocate increased operational and maintenance funding for public transit. The positive impact of these investments will be felt by the people who live and work in Toronto and who rely on public transportation every day.

After years of neglect and abdication of responsibilities by previous municipal governments to invest in the maintenance and operations of public transit services, the City’s leadership has demonstrated their determination to help improve the lives of Torontonians.

We appreciate the City’s leadership for their thoughtful process of consultation with all stakeholders in the city, truly listening to the everyday struggles of the people and rolling up their sleeves to do the hard work of finding effective solutions that will have an immediate and positive impact on the lives of transit users and workers.

Toronto [January 31, 2024] — In a united front, the leadership of CUPE Local 79, ATU Local 113 and the Toronto Public Library Workers’ Union – CUPE Local 4948 came together this morning to urge Mayor Chow to keep the staff-proposed critical investments in City services in the 2024 City Budget. Collectively, these three union locals represent over 44,000 workers responsible for delivering essential municipal services in Toronto.

Nas Yadollahi, President of CUPE Local 79 (representing approximately 30,000 City workers), emphasized the dire need to repair City-run social services. Yadollahi noted: “Our members who work on the frontlines of the shelter system and in long-term care homes have experienced a deepening crisis in response to a decade of cuts and austerity budgets. We finally have proposed investments to begin fixing these collapsing services.”

Marvin Alfred, President of ATU Local 113 (representing approximately 12,000 transit workers), underscored the pivotal role of transit workers in keeping the city moving: “Against a backdrop of worsening traffic conditions, we need to invest in our transit system to enhance service levels and ensure the safe and accessible transport of Torontonians throughout the city.”

Brandon Haynes, President of Toronto Public Library Workers’ Union – CUPE Local 4948, (representing 2,100 Toronto Public Library workers), highlighted the significance of Toronto’s Library workers: “Library workers are the heart of their communities. Investing in our libraries ensures better access to these community hubs of learning and support for all people of Toronto regardless of their background. The Toronto Public Library is the one of the busiest urban public library systems in the world and therefore needs to receive the required resources to respond to the growing needs of a city as diverse as Toronto”.