Author: Stephanie Gomez

Sisters and Brothers,

The CEO’s Report presented to the TTC’s Board on July 14 showed that there were 203 offences against TTC workers from January 1 to March 31, 2020 – which is more than two incidents of assault/abuse a day.

Just this month we’ve seen troubling cases of abuse directed at TTC workers, which adds stress to an already stressful job during the coronavirus pandemic.

Assaults and abuse against TTC workers are completely unacceptable and we need to ensure the TTC’s zero tolerance policy is enforced. It’s outrageous that public transit workers, who fulfill a vital role in Toronto during the pandemic, are subjected to assaults, abuse and threats by some members of the public.

I will address the issue with TTC management to find ways for transit workers to be safe and secure while on the job serving our city.

In Solidarity,

Carlos Santos
President, ATU Local 113

Sisters and Brothers,

Yesterday, the Ontario Government passed Bill 195, which gives the government the power to extend emergency orders even after the state of emergency has been lifted. The Bill is an infringement on the rights of frontline workers, as it interferes with the collective bargaining agreements of unions in Ontario, including ATU Local 113 and our Sisters and Brothers in healthcare represented by SEIU Healthcare, CUPE, OPSEU and ONA.

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) has launched a campaign to oppose Bill 195’s attack on workers’ rights. I encourage all ATU Local 113 members to contact their MPP through this portal to make it clear that frontline workers deserve the support and respect of their government during the COVID-19 pandemic – especially after our members have spent months putting themselves at risk to keep Toronto moving.

Contact Your MPP to Oppose Bill 195: https://www.powerofmany.ca/opposebill195

In Solidarity,

Carlos Santos
President, ATU Local 113

ATU Local 113 would like to thank the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) for offering a free one-year membership to transit workers in recognition of the sacrifices that our members have made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Annual Pass will offer unlimited access to the AGO Collection and all special exhibitions for one year. Members will be able to book timed-entry visits to the gallery for free at any time they wish.

ATU Local 113 members can claim their AGO membership until August 16, 2020, by clicking here. Members will have to provide their work ID upon their first visit to the AGO to confirm their identity and to activate their Annual Pass.

Please note that if you’d like to bring children to the AGO, visitors aged 18-25 can sign up for their own free AGO Annual Pass here. Visitors aged 14-17 may sign up for a pass if they wish (using their own valid email address) or may simply enter without a pass. Children 13 and under do not require the Annual Pass and can visit anytime with an adult. More information about children’s AGO admissions can be found here.

Sisters and Brothers,

We received unfortunate news today that an ATU Local 113 member, a bus operator from Malvern Division, has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The member’s last shift was on Tuesday, July 14, and they received the positive test result on Wednesday, July 15.

We wish the member a quick and speedy recovery as they self isolate.

This diagnosis marks the 57^th ATU Local 113 member who has tested positive for COVID-19. Twelve TTC employees who are not ATU Local 113 members have also tested positive, bringing the total number of TTC employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 to 69.

Please practice physical distancing as much as possible before, during and after your shifts – and stay home if you feel unwell.

In solidarity,

Carlos Santos
President, ATU Local 113

Sisters and Brothers,

While masks are now mandatory on the TTC and in public spaces in Toronto, ATU Local 113 first began calling on the TTC to allow its members to be allowed to wear masks in January – but it wasn’t until March that the policy was changed to allow our operators and maintenance workers to wear a mask to protect themselves. We again called for masks to be made mandatory for riders on the TTC in May but had to wait until July for that policy to come into force.

Our politicians and public health officials have failed us.

Now, after months of inaction, those same politicians and public health experts who had previously deemed masks ineffective are encouraging mandatory masks both on the TTC and in public spaces in Toronto, finally saying what we knew to be true months ago.

While ATU Local 113 supports these efforts, implementing mask policies earlier could have slowed the spread of the coronavirus and protected the health of transit workers and riders alike. If ATU Local 113 had not pressured the TTC to make these changes, masks would still not be mandatory on the TTC today.

We urge all levels of government to not make the same mistake when it comes to providing emergency transit funding. I first called on all levels of government to provide emergency funding in April, and I’m still waiting for a response.

Our members have played an irreplaceable role in Toronto’s pandemic response by getting essential workers to the frontline and will continue to play that role in facilitating Toronto’s economic recovery as we reopen. You’ve put your own health and safety, and the well-being of your loved ones, at risk to serve Toronto. Now it’s up to our elected officials to do their part.

Without immediate support from the provincial and federal governments, Toronto’s transit system will be crippled, putting both the economic recovery and public health of our city at risk.

In Solidarity,

Carlos Santos
President, ATU local 113

The Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) joins ATU Local 113 and a growing number of other organizations that are calling on the federal and provincial governments to provide immediate emergency funding to public transit systems.

As TEA’s letter to Premier Doug Ford and Ontario Transportation Minister eloquently points out, government funding for transit will ensure the long-term operational viability of public transit in Ontario. President Carlos Santos would like to thank TEA for their advocacy on this important issue and their leadership in making Toronto a more sustainable city.

Sisters and Brothers,

We received unfortunate news today that an ATU Local 113 member, a bus operator from Eglinton Division, has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19).

I spoke with the member who is recovering at home. On behalf of all ATU Local 113 members, I wished them a quick and speedy recovery.

The member’s last shift was on Tuesday, June 30 from approximately 8:20 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The member received the positive test result on Wednesday, July 1.

This diagnosis marks the 56^th ATU Local 113 member who has tested positive for COVID-19. Eleven TTC employees who are not ATU Local 113 members have also tested positive, bringing the total number of TTC employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 to 67.

Please practice physical distancing as much as possible before, during and after your shifts – and stay home if you feel unwell.

In solidarity,

Carlos Santos
President, ATU Local 113