Author: Stephanie Gomez

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”.

Funeral Details

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

ATU Local 113 was in the Court of Appeal on January 15, 2024, fighting to maintain its right to strike. In May 2023 Local 113’s legal team at UPFH led by, Ian Fellows, had the ban on strikes by workers at the TTC declared unconstitutional as an unlawful denial of members Charter right to freedom of association. Doug Ford’s government is appealing that decision. The Court of Appeal has reserved its decision. 

It is with deep sadness that ATU Local 113 announces the passing of Paul Haynes, former Executive Board Member.

Brother Haynes was a valued and active member of our Local, having served us as Shop Steward for Roncesvalles and as the Executive Board Member representing Queensway/Roncesvalles/Russell (2010 – 2012). He is remembered for his contributions to supporting our members and engaging them in our union. He enjoyed his time working with the Board and was passionate about fighting for the rights of our members through grievances and the arbitration process. He was very proud of the outcomes he achieved on behalf of our operators and his time serving our members.

Brother Haynes passed away peacefully on January 15, 2024, with his loving family by his side. He was born on March 25, 1953, to Eustace Haynes and Dorothy Haynes and lived his early years in Aruba. He is survived by his wife Clara Batista, three children, and four grandchildren.

Our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones at this difficult time.

Further details will be announced.

The Executive Board

ATU Local 113

ATU Local 113 noted that Sunday’s fire incident underscores the need to have more operators on trains. Had the train been in the tunnels as opposed to the station, the passengers would have been at heightened risk because Line 1 trains only have one operator on board, ATU Local 113 said in a statement.

Fire chief warns of e-bike safety risk after TTC incident (thestar.com)

ATU Local 113 has called on the TTC to bring back the approach of having two operators on trains following a fire at Yonge-Sheppard station on Sunday

Here’s how the Toronto subway e-bike fire erupted | CP24.com

On New Year’s Eve, a large fire occurred on the car of a TTC subway train at the Yonge-Sheppard subway platform on Line 1.  Thankfully, no one lost their life. However, several individuals were injured. It was “fortunate” that the fire broke out while the train was at a station with the doors open to the platform. If the train had been partially or fully in the tunnel at the time of the fire, the outcome could have been very different on account of this train only having a single crew member.

ATU Local 113 has repeatedly raised its concern that the One Person Train Operation poses a serious risk to passenger safety in the event of a fire on board the train.

If this fire occurred in the tunnel, the operator would have been cut off from the passengers by the flames. Assuming the operator was not overcome by fumes,  they would have been able to evacuate themselves through the front of the train, but the passengers would have been left in a smoke-filled train unassisted by any trained personnel.  When and if passengers were able to evacuate themselves they would be going into a tunnel filled with smoke and with a live electrified third rail.

Prior to the TTC implementing One Person Train Operation on this subway line, there were always two operators on board the train. In the event that the fire occurred on a subway train in the tunnel, there would have been an operator on either end who could assist passengers. This would ensure that no passengers would be cut off from trained TTC subway crew onboard the train, and that there would be a crew member to evacuate passengers and cut electric power.

Local 113’s concerns have been ignored by the TTC, presumably so they can “save” literally just a few pennies per ride. The fire that occurred on New Year’s Eve proves that this significant safety concern is not hypothetical, but rather a real one that the TTC should take seriously.

This was a near miss and the TTC should immediately return to two-person operation, as currently exists on Line 2.