Author: Stephanie Gomez

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.

ATU Local 113 was proud to participate in several Black History Month celebrations over the last few weeks.

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.

Our member, Tunika (Grace) Udoh, is being recognized and celebrated by ATU International for Black History Month! We are proud of her incredible dedication and commitment to the labour movement.

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.

ATU Local 113 Executive members visited a Black History Month display at the union’s Mount Dennis division.

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.