Author: Stephanie Gomez

Unionized workers are an integral part of society’s ability to function. ATU Local 113 was proud to join the annual Labour Day parade with our brothers and sisters to recognize the hard work they all contribute to transit in Toronto.

ATU Local 113 is out marching in solidarity with labour workers across Toronto. Thank you to Mayor John Tory for speaking with our members and joining us as we acknowledge the important work that Local 113 and many other Torontonains do for this city. #LabourDayParade

Thank you to our wonderful brothers and sisters who have volunteered their time to support ATU Local 113’s participation in todays Labour Day Parade. Stay tuned for more photos and updates throughout the day as we commemorate the importance of what this march means for labour workers across Toronto.

The Province’s budget contains many proposals that are of deep concern to Local 113. There are sweeping changes to the City of Toronto Act that could dis-integrate the TTC, remove public control of our transit system, and advance Tory’s plan to contract out TTC jobs.

These proposed changes to the City of Toronto Act are totally unnecessary, dangerous to the integrity of the TTC network, and must not be allowed to move forward.

The cross-border service proposal has nothing to do with service. This legislation is about breaking apart the TTC so that it can be sold off piece by piece. It advances Tory and Leary’s agenda of turning public institutions into private, for-profit services, and replacing quality careers with precarious, underpaid jobs.

It will actively damage service to make it look like public transit costs too much and can’t serve riders. There is no plan, for example, to allocate fare revenue for cross border trips, so riders will either pay a second fare or TTC will lose revenue. For the first time in a century, there could be fare barriers for local service in Toronto.

The strong mayor proposal will allow Tory to continue to work in secret, with his consultants and corporate lobbyists, to eliminate public control and sell off public services, and contract out jobs.

This is not in the best interest of Toronto residents, or of working people.

Local 113 will be fighting these changes. And we are not alone in this fight. Nurses and other vital service providers have also seen their rights taken away by legislation. We stand with all working people to protect our rights, create quality jobs, and be treated with respect in our lives and in our work.

ATU Local 113 member, Sister Cappuccio, hopes to promote tolerance, social equality, and acceptance of all people in the workplace. We stand in solidarity with our Sister and all members of the LGTBQ2S+ community.

ATU Local 113 remembers those who lost their lives to the residential school system. Survivors’ lives are forever changed due to the unspeakable trauma they experienced. More than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Nation children were taken away from their families and communities during the era that the schools were open. Below is a video of another tragic survivor story from Jean Rose-Bugler. Her courage is an inspiration, and she has a past that tragically, many other Indigenous people can relate to.

ATU Local 113 welcomes the news that unvaccinated employees in federally regulated industries such as trains and airlines are being allowed to return to work on June 20th.

This is a positive development. We are encouraged by this in our own fight to return our unvaccinated members to work, so they can continue to provide riders with safe and efficient public transit.

ATU Local 113 is calling for the fair treatment of all TTC workers.

CTV News: Canada’s vaccine mandate lifted for federal, transport workers

ATU Local 113 celebrates Pride Month and recognizes rank-and-file members who are making a difference in our Local, our workplace and our community.

Read more about ATU 113 member Cat Cappuccio: https://www.atu.org/atu-celebrates-pride-month

Steven Del Duca may mean well, but needs to do some homework if he wants to be taken seriously.

Yesterday, Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca promised to reduce all transit fares in Ontario to $1 until January 2024. Local 113 is always happy to see transit service be an important issue. Unfortunately, this is not a serious policy proposal. It is a cheap gimmick by someone who should know better. He was, after all, Kathleen Wynne’s Minister of Transportation.

This proposal, however, is just an election stunt. Here’s why:

• It fails existing riders. This plan is targeting suburban commuters and will do nothing to improve service or reduce crowding on TTC today.
• It fails at basic math. They say it will cost $700M-$1.1B But TTC alone would need $600M of new subsidy. And that’s before expanding service for all the new riders. And other transit agencies need much bigger subsidies.
• It’s unfair to local trips. GO riders could get $10-15 a ride subsidy. Which means that working people in sustainable urban neighbourhoods get far less advantage than wealthy commuters is exurban sprawl.
• It is sudden and temporary – which may cause long-term damage. Transit systems will have to expand service to meet demand. When the subsidy expires municipalities will either be stuck with the cost or have to shrink their networks and park all the new vehicles.

Transit is far too serious an issue to be used to score cheap political points. The only way to build a transit network is through dedicated, long-term operational funding.

It was great marching on Queen’s Park with ATU Local 113 members, ATU Canada and our union allies as part of the May Day Rally for change. Ontario works because we do!