SILVER SPRING, MD: Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International President Larry Hanley issued the following statement following the resignation of Bob Kinnear as president of ATU Local 113 in Toronto.

“With the resignation of Bob Kinnear as their president, today marks a new beginning for the 11,000 members of ATU Local 113. The last six weeks have been extraordinarily difficult for them and their families and, in fact, the entire labour movement. Fortunately, union democracy and international solidarity have prevailed.

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On Wednesday of this week RankandFile.ca obtained a recording of a conversation between two executive board members at ATU Local 113, Tony Barbosa and John DiNino, occurring before the trusteeship. Both DiNino, who recorded the call, and Barbosa have confirmed the authenticity of the recording.

In this conversation recorded on January 31, we get a glimpse of what was going on behind the scenes at Local 113 just prior to ATU International trusteeship

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February 28, 2017

ATU Canada is deeply troubled by the Toronto Transit Commissions report where it alleges that there is “a significant problem and a culture of drug and alcohol use at the TTC”.

These claims by TTC are nothing more than a drummed up smoke screen to elicit fear in the public and to allow an employer to breach a workers Charter of Rights.

The union has stated publicly that they support the TTC’s current substance abuse policies, provided that there is “reasonable cause” to believe that a worker was impaired during an incident or a worker is returning after violating the policy.

To demand that a worker submit to this random testing is a slap in the face of everything our government and the labour movement has fought for.

The Toronto Transit Commission needs to remember that any person is innocent until proven guilty not the other way around. It’s high time this employer started believing in its employees and not punishing the whole for the errors of the few.

Paul Thorp
President
ATU Canada

In remembrance of our fallen Brother, Irvine Jubal Fraser who lost his life on February 14, 2017 from an act of violence while at work with Winnipeg Transit and in support of his family and coworkers:

Amalgamated Transit Union Canada and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 741 wishes to pay tribute to a life cut short, and recognize the continued attacks that happen to Transit Operators throughout the country on a daily basis

Irvine Fraser died after an altercation with the last passenger on his bus that refused to get off at the end of the line. A struggle ensued and the passenger allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Irvine who later died of the injuries caused by his assailant.

Recent statistics show that there are five transit operators assaulted on a daily basis across Canada. This number does not include the number of assaults that go unreported.

There are different forms of assault that transit operators are subjected to on a daily basis; verbal abuse, threats of physical harm, death threats and physical assault (spitting, punching, kicking, biting, etc…).

Amalgamated Transit Union Canada and its local unions are calling for our governments and employers to stop putting a dollar amount on humanity.

Amalgamated Transit Union Canada and its local unions are calling for the Transit Employers in Canada to:

• Design bus run times schedules with more operating time. The current tendency to reduce time on bus schedules is causing operators to be subjected to the frustration of the public.
• Redesign the Drivers Area so that operators have a closed compartment away from passengers. Similar to train operators and airline pilots.
• Provide clear directives to drivers to assist in dealing with problem passengers and provide adequate support where needed.

When an assault does happen the courts need to apply the full measure of the law introduced by Bill S 221, This enactment amends the Criminal Code to require a court to consider the fact that the victim of an assault of a public transit worker to be an aggravating circumstance for the purposes of sentencing. Stop negotiating plea bargain deals. ATU Canada seeks 10 years imprisonment for an indictable offence and 18 months for a summary conviction.

This is not a “Knee-jerk” reaction, but rather a measured response to the lack of support from employers and the courts of Canada in dealing with those who assault transit workers.

The Amalgamated Transit Union International placed the local under trusteeship after Kinnear’s abrupt dismissal earlier this month.

The battle for control of the TTC’s largest union has taken two more plot twists in less than a day.

Bob Kinnear won a victory in provincial court on Tuesday afternoon, only to lose a “no confidence” motion from Local 113 of the Amalgamated Transit Union later in the evening.

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ATU Canada is shocked and deeply troubled by the court’s decision yesterday to reinstate Bob Kinnear.

The fact of the matter is that Mr. Kinnear’s actions were in gross violation of the ATU International Constitution and his own Local’s Bylaws. It is shameful that his actions and collusion with UNIFOR were for his own personal gain and there was absolutely no consideration for the 10,500 members that make up ATU Local 113.

It is with great pride that ATU Canada stands behind the Executive Board of Local 113 with their numerous motions against Mr. Kinnear. The first being a motion of “No Confidence” in the leadership of Bob Kinnear.

We are One ATU and the Transit Union of choice in North America simply because no one knows transit like we do. Period.

Paul Thorp
President
ATU Canada

A Winnipeg councillor says the motion he plans to table on Tuesday will be a first step in preventing another tragedy on board a Winnipeg bus like the city saw last…

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