Author: Stephanie Gomez

An ATU Local 113 member was injured today after being pinned by a subway car at Greenwood Yard. ATU Local 113 President Marvin Alfred visited the injured member at a local hospital this morning.

ATU Local 113 Health and Safety representative Andrew Falotico and JHSC Union Representative, Shop Steward Anthony Schembri, are currently onsite with Toronto Police Service and the Ontario Ministry of Labour to investigate today’s unfortunate incident.

*The member has since been released from the hospital.

On May 8, ATU Local 113 was informed that an Ontario Superior Court decision would permit members to strike for the first time since 2011.

ATU Local 113 President Marvin Alfred spoke with media about what this means for the union and the labour sector.

News Coverage

Online/Print

Toronto Star: TTC workers regain the right to strike | The Star

Toronto Sun:TTC not an ‘essential service,’ strike would be legal for workers | Toronto Sun 

Financial Post: CUPE: Court’s Decision a Win for Workers and for Safety | Financial Post

Now Toronto: Transit union says TTC needs to take responsibility for service cuts – NOW Toronto

CityNews Toronto: TTC union workers win back right to strike | CityNews Toronto

CBC Toronto: TTC workers have right to go on strike, Ontario court rules | CBC News

Broadcast/Radio

Radio Canada: Les employés de la CTT ont le droit de faire la grève, tranche un tribunal ontarien | Radio-Canada.ca

CP24: Toronto Transit Commission not an ‘essential service,’ workers can go on strike, Ontario Superior Court judge rules | CP24.com

Marvin Alfred, President/Business Agent, on behalf of the Executive Board of ATU Local 113, hailed the Ontario Superior Court decision striking down the legislation illegally limiting collective bargaining for over 12,000 TTC workers.

“This is an historic win for transit workers in Canada. The Court has delivered a major victory for free collective bargaining in Ontario and for our Local,” said Marvin Alfred. “Our members’ Charter rights have been violated for more than a decade. Fortunately, we are now able to return to the bargaining table without unfair government interference.”

Local 113 went to court seeking to strike down the 2011 TTC Labour Disputes Resolution Act, arguing that it violated its members Charter of Rights and Freedoms right to free association. The legislation had impaired the union’s ability to bargain freely with the TTC. The Court found that the legislation substantially interfered with meaningful collective bargaining. The Court further declined to suspend the legislation, meaning that Local 113 members will be able to bargain their next collective agreement free from the infringement on their Charter rights.

Marvin Alfred further indicated that “The Court found that Local 113 had only been on strike for 12 days in the 20 years prior to imposing the legislation. We’ve known for more than 10 years that our rights were being violated, and that the TTC had been given an unfair advantage in bargaining. I am looking forward to a return to free collective bargaining at the TTC.”

Asian Heritage Month is an important occasion for all Canadians to come together to celebrate and recognize the diverse cultural contributions of Asian communities in our country. This month-long celebration has been a cherished tradition in Canada since the 1990s and was officially recognized by the federal government in May 2002.

ATU Local 113 expresses our appreciation for the invaluable contributions that our own members of Asian communities have made to our city and to Canada’s rich cultural heritage.

Stats:

Canada’s multicultural society has greatly benefited from the contributions of Asian populations, who make up nearly 22% of the country’s population. The distinct cultural heritage, history, and customs that members of Asian communities have brought to Canada have added to the vibrant tapestry of our nation. Asian Canadian cultures in Canada include, but are not limited to:

• East Asia: China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan
• Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, Vietnam
• South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
• Western Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
• Central Asia: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan

Human Rights Activism and Anti-Asian Racism in Canada

The selfless activism of people of Asian heritage for social justice and human rights in Canada and their fight against oppression has contributed significantly to the growth of our labour movement and communities. The Asian community in Canada has endured discrimination and injustice, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Head Tax, the exploitation of Chinese railway workers, the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II, and the Komagata Maru incident. These struggles have left their stamp on Canadian history, and their influence is still felt today.

Sadly, racism towards Asians is still present in Canada today. Anti-Asian hate has alarmingly increased since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, with women disproportionately affected by the rise in anti-Asian racism. It is essential to collaborate as a society to combat structural racism and advance social justice and equality for all.

Resources:

http://www.mhso.ca/tiesthatbind/LearningResources.php

https://sacda.ca/Detail/objects/2751

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U2ki5j-h9y229pAwx-KkqjK0HmAIo9h9/view

https://www.project1907.org/

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/timeline/asia-canada

https://explorasian.org/exploring-asian-heritage-in-vancouver/

https://solidarities.huafoundation.org/unpackingmyth/

http://www.vmacch.ca/beta/index.html

On March 25, a 16 year old was killed after a stabbing at Keele Station. It was an unprovoked, random attack against an innocent passenger.

This ongoing violence needs to stop.

Less than 48 hours later there was another stabbing on a TTC bus near Keele Station.

ATU Local 113 President, Marvin Alfred, spoke to media about the ongoing violence on public transit and the lasting impact it has on transit workers and riders.

News Coverage

Online/Print

Toronto Star: No fast or easy answers to make the TTC safe, say city officials | The Star

CTV Toronto: TTC teen stabbing victim remembered as good friend | CTV News

CityNews: Teen killed in Toronto subway station stabbing remembered as kind, good friend | CityNews Toronto

Broadcast/Radio

CP24: ATU Local 113 President comments on the TTC incident 

CTV Toronto: Teen was sitting on bench when fatally stabbed | CTV News

City News 680: Teen killed in Toronto subway station stabbing remembered as kind, good friend | CityNews Toronto

We are dismayed at the incidents of violence on the TTC this past weekend. Two incidents of violence were reported, one of which has led to the tragedy of loss of life of a young person. Any loss of life on public transit has a lasting impact on families and communities of those directly involved, as well as on transit riders and transit workers.

We at ATU Local 113 have been continuously asking the TTC, the City of Toronto and the Province to prioritize transit safety for workers and transit users. Nothing has changed yet.

We have stated before that the difficult conversations about public transit safety need to happen.

First, it can only be effective if all stakeholders are present, and with real, accurate and current data from the Toronto Police Service and the TTC. It will require leaving politics at the door. 

Second, with the upcoming election, Toronto needs a mayor who understands allocating funds to public transit is not a cost, it is an investment – an investment in transit safety, maintaining dependable service, and state of good repair.

For the long-term viability of public transit, we need to prioritize safety.

Today, we join workers and riders across North America to celebrate Transit Worker Appreciation Day. The TTC has been in the news too often lately for the wrong reasons.

Violent incidents and declining ridership are a fact of life for us. Service cuts and fare increases will make the system more crowded, less reliable, and increase conflict. We know how hard members work every day to serve the people of Toronto.

Today, we are asking everyone to take a moment to say thank you to transit workers.

Workers and passengers are in this together. We need to respect and appreciate each other to keep Toronto moving comfortably, safely, and reliably.

In solidarity,

Executive Board

ATU Local 113

On behalf of the ATU Local 113 Women’s Committee and our Executive Board, we would like to wish you all a Happy International Women’s Day!

This year’s theme is Embrace Equity. This theme acknowledges that while we are all working towards the same goal of equity, we do so from different starting points. Regardless of the differences, we should continue to help each other and women in the communities we serve.

Today, we celebrate our sisters at ATU Local 113. Thank you for all you do.