Author: Erika Mackenzie

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”.

2024 ATU scholarship program in memory of James La Sala sponsored by the ATU International office, Silver Spring, MD

This year’s scholarships are in remembrance of former International president emeritus James La Sala, who passed away on October 8, 2022.

La Sala began his career in the transit industry as a bus operator for the public service coordinated transport of New Jersey in 1946, where he joined local 824-New Brunswick, NJ, and was elected shop steward. He was subsequently elected vice president, financial secretary and then, in 1962 president/business agent of the local.

“Jim La Sala was a legend in the ATU. Under his leadership, he initiated and revived programs at the international that helped our union navigate some of the most tumultuous years of its history, including our greyhound strike,” said ATU International president John Costa. “Jim was a fearless and respected leader who built the ATU into a powerful union. He embodied the ATU and even recently attended our 60th international convention in Las Vegas. During his tenure, La Sala expanded ATU education initiatives, broadened ATU legislative programs, revamped ATU organizing, and revived the ATU-Cope program.

In 1968 La Sala joined the international staff as an international representative. He was first elected international vice-president in 1969 and was elected international executive vice president at the international convention in 1981. When international president John rowland retired in 1985, he recommended to the general executive board that La Sala become the international preisdent and they elected him. He was formally elected international president at the 1986 convention and was re-elected every three years until his retirement in 2003.

We hope the recipients of this year’s scholarships named in his honor, will use them in part to study union and community organizing, and grow to fight injustices everywhere.

This year, the program will consist of five scholarships in the amount of $8,000.00 in addition, a $2,000.00 scholarship may be awarded to a technical or vocational school applicant.

For questions or further information, please contact the ATU International, directly, as per the regulations and procedures.

Official application forms can be obtained here, https://atu.communityforce.com.

Funeral Details

Paul Haynes Obituary – Toronto, ON | Vescio Funeral Homes Inc.