With the outpouring of support from more than 90% of our elected shop stewards, now 13 out of 17 of our Executive board members, and the fierce loyalty of you, the members who keep Toronto moving, ATU Local 113 is back to the business of representing its members – and that means every day we are 100% focused on issues that matter to public transit workers.

We’re turning our focus to the issues you face, from grievances in the divisions and shops to protecting our public pensions to fighting attacks like the province’s essential services law and TTC’s drug testing. Nonetheless, we hear your calls for help clearing up the confusion. To help, we put together this timeline of events:

  • August 2015: Kinnear says it’s time “to pass the torch.” He announces that he won’t run for re-election. September 2015: Kinnear is elected president of ATU Canada.
  • October 2015: He decides to run for re-election as President of ATU Local 113 after all. Several days later, he is forced to resign as President of ATU Canada.
  • December 2015: Kinnear is narrowly re-elected but violates the union constitution, illegally using membership lists in campaign while denying opponents access. A special election is ordered.
  • September 2016: Kinnear is re-elected in special election.
  • October 2016: Kinnear breaks commitment to ATU Local 113 members to stay a full term. He immediately announces his campaign for ATU International Vice President. He loses.
  • February 2017: By seeking to bring ATU Local 113 members out of their union without the consent of their elected Executive Board, Kinnear violates union constitution and local by-laws. This triggers a trusteeship by the ATU International. Most board members and stewards rally once they understand that Kinnear is no longer representing us.

Shortly after, the trustee uncovers documents showing Kinnear secretly conspired with Unifor to raid ATU Local 113. He took ATU membership lists to help raid. At a press conference with Unifor, he admits his betrayal and knowing its consequences:

“If I had brought this to a full board meeting…I would have been ousted five minutes after that meeting was over.” – Bob Kinnear, February 7, 2017, The Globe and Mail

Next in 2017: ATU Local 113 trustee and leaders have restored full operations to the local. We will hold a hearing soon regarding removed officers. ATU Local 113 remains the official bargaining unit representatives of TTC transit workers.

UNIFOR BOUGHT BOB, BUT IT WON’T BUY US. ATU LOCAL 113 IS NOT FOR SALE!