NABBED! ON BOARD SCHOOL STARS! GALA NIGHT DNA “spit kits” TTC ‘Citizen’ 40 scholarship 113th B’day used to convict Commissioners winners off to party a huge assaulters. 7 sign on. 8 university. 9 success. Back

SPECIAL ISSUE: A 28-page souvenir pullout history of Local 113. It’s a keeper! DECEMBER 2012 MAINTENANCE CAMPAIGN SHOWS OUR SKILLS In our largest public awareness campaign ever, Local 113 showcased the value to of our skilled Maintenance members, the people behind the scenes who “take care of the details that take care of you.” 2 INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT UNIONS UK’s militant transit union strikes over privatization

he 80,000-strong Rail, Marine and Transport Workers’ as a local representative of the NUR and became the NUR TUnion is known as one of the most militant trade unions national officer for track workers. Crow was the in Britain. It was formed in 1990 by a merger of two much Underground (subway) representative on the RMT National older unions — the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR), Executive at the time of the merger and one year later was formed in 1913, and the National Union of Seamen (NUS), elected Assistant General Secretary. In February 2002, Crow founded in 1888. was elected General Secretary, the union’s highest position. Bob Crow, the fiery During its first ten He received 12,051 votes — double that of the other two leader of the United Kingdom’s Rail, Maritime years, the RMT candidates combined. Since then, RMT membership has gone and Transport Workers looked like a failure. up by 30 per cent, the fastest growing union in the U.K., by far. union was in Toronto Membership in November to meet Under Crow, RMT staged more than 35 decisive strikes with another fiery declined from (known in the UK as “industrial actions”) over government transit Union leader, 103,000 members plans to privatize rail services. The strikes also led to several also named Bob, about strategies to fight at the time of high profile bargaining victories and advances in job security, privatization. the merger to conditions and pensions, and a 35-hour working week on 60,000. When the many sectors of the railway network. leadership changed, however, things started picking up. RMT is also actively working against European Union transit Bob Crow is the fiery, radical General Secretary of RMT privatization plans, with Crow calling the European model and a General Council Member of Britain’s Trade Union “a disaster.” To get a taste of Crow’s populist style, go to Congress, the British equivalent of the Canadian Labour YouTube.com and search “Bob Crow.” Select the video: Congress. He started work at at age 16 TUC anti-cuts march – 20th October 2012. as an underground track-repairer. In 1983, he was elected

December 2012 MAIL PUBLICATION AGREEMENT Senior Officers Transportation #41202529 RETURN Editor-in-Chief: Bob Kinnear Bob Kinnear Cliff Piggott – Arrow Road/Caldari/ UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN President/Business Agent Mount Dennis/Newmarket onthemove ADDRESSES TO is published by ATU Local 113, THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS Manny Sforza Carmen Lint – Birchmount/Malvern Toronto Transit Workers. AMALGAMATED TRANSIT Executive Vice President Mark Bertoia – Bloor-Danforth UNION Rocco Signorile Subway/SRT/Eglinton/Wheel-Trans Affiliated with the Toronto and LOCAL 113 Secretary/Treasurer Transportation York Region Labour Council, 812 Wilson Avenue Ontario Federation of Labour Scott Gordon Paul Haynes – Queensway/ Downsview, Ontario Assistant Business Agent Roncesvalles/Russell and Canadian Labour Congress. M3K 1E5 Maintenance Ian Mackay – Wilson Bus/Wilson Phone: 416.398.5113 Frank Grimaldi Subway Toll Free: 1.800.245.9929 Assistant Business Agent John Wales – Collectors/Clerical/ Fax: 416.398.4978 Transportation Toronto Coach Terminal/Patten www.wemovetoronto.ca Building/Traffic Checkers/Wheel-Trans Executive Board Administration Members Maintenance wardens Bill Chrisp – At Large Maintenance – Sandro Bonadies Pino D’Armiento – Plant Alternate – Tony Vaccaro John Di Nino – Equipment “E” Transportation – Frank Malta Bill Merlin – Hillcrest Alternate – Otis Leow William Fowlie – Equipment “A” Editorial and design services by Reno Associates Inc. INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT UNIONS INTERNATIONAL 3 PRESIDENT’S REPORT What we will do about Stintz, Byford and Ford – the axis of privatization Bob Kinnear y the time you read this, our stand up like a leader and say to Ford: “I cannot do the job President Belection will be over and the you hired me to do without the necessary funding!” members will have chosen their Don’t hold your breath waiting for that. Why risk your Executive Board for the next three $300K+ job and get a reputation as someone who stands up years. The responsibilities of the new to his political masters? That’s no way to progress in your Board will be enormous. We will need career as a good jobs killer. to work together as a team more than So what are we as a union going to do about all this? Two ever in our history to protect our jobs things: First and foremost, I am going to expect every and rights. Steward and every Board member to enforce every right Two years ago, at his first City of our members under the collective agreement. Sure, Council meeting as Mayor, Rob Ford took away our right there will be disagreements between management and the to collectively bargain with our labour ­— a right we had union about the intention and interpretation of the collective for over a century. Now it turns out that Ford doesn’t think agreement. We’ll let an arbitrator sort out those issues. we’re all that essential. He wants to take away our work You’ll be hearing more about this in the weeks and months and give it to the lowest bidder. He has made it clear in to come, once the new Local 113 Executive Board meets and his public statements that he believes contracting out TTC decides on our course of action. work is the way to go. Commission Chair Karen Stintz and Secondly, we are going to do everything we can under Mr. CEO Andy Byford agree. Nearly 200 Local 113 jobs are the law to send our millionaire mayor back to the family being turned over to low-paid, insecure contract workers. business in 2014. I’m sure they’ll be happy to see more of This is just the first shot. Stintz wants to be mayor and she him. Those City Councillors who voted with him to take wants the “street cred” of being able to take on the union. away our rights will also be on our list. It’s called political Byford has other motivations for wanting a reputation as an action and we are going to be very active. We are 10,000 imported cost-cutter. Anyone want to bet that Byford will strong. If we sit on our hands and let our jobs and our still be in Toronto five years from now? families be threatened by this band of hypocrites at City Byford gets praised in editorials for publicly telling Ford Hall, shame on us. But if we use those hands to knock on to stop calling him about “personal matters” such as a bus doors, hand out leaflets, put up signs and VOTE, we can for Ford’s high school football team (notice that Byford send them packing. didn’t tell the whole story or even complain about Ford’s One hundred and thirteen years ago our forebears put their stupidity until he saw which way the wind was blowing — jobs on the line to form a union. We are the beneficiaries of such courage!). But where is he while TTC passengers are their courage. It’s now our turn to step up to the plate. shivering at bus stops in the dark? Why doesn’t Big Andy

Torontonians want downtown relief subway line but don’t want to pay for it

The idea of building a new subway line to take pressure off the overcrowded Bloor-Danforth and Yonge lines is a popular idea, until it comes to the money part. According to a recent poll, only 45 per cent said they would be willing to pay an extra $50 a year in property taxes to support such a line. 40 per cent were opposed and 15 per cent were unsure. Great idea, but fewer than half of Torontonians think it’s worth a The proposed Downtown Relief Line would go south from Pape Ave. and then along King to the buck a week, according to a recent Ex and then up to Dundas West station. Many commuters who use the east-west subway to poll. The $6 billion project would travel to and from work in the downtown core could avoid having to go to the Yonge line, which take enormous pressure off the existing Yonge and Bloor-Danforth is a greatly overstressed line during rush hour. The line would cut through areas of the city that lines, which are already at capacity are now underserviced by the TTC. More people in those areas would be able to take rapid in our growing city. transit instead of cars to get downtown. PRESIDENT’S REPORT 4 PROTECTING WHAT MATTERS Maintenance Campaign shows Toronto what goes on behind the scenes at the TTC

n Tuesday, October 9, 2012, Local 113 President Bob out. But the campaign has OKinnear held a press conference to launch the single set the stage for resistance most ambitious public awareness campaign in the union’s to further contracting out history. Called “Protecting What Matters,” the campaign plans. featured over two dozen Maintenance workers on the job Kinnear stressed that the in different areas of the property. It was the first-ever public cleaners at the TTC fulfill a glimpse behind the scenes of the vital work performed by function beyond their daily over 3,500 ATU members, the largest urban public transit work — a function that maintenance workforce in North America behind New contract cleaners cannot. York City’s. “Traditionally, the The purpose of the campaign was twofold: Maintenance workers who 1. To show Toronto the value of the skilled men and fill the entry-level positions women who keep the TTC running economically. the TTC is contracting out A special website was created for the campaign. Visitors were given 2. To set the terms of a public debate about the current have become the TTC’s the chance to win a free TTC Monthly labour pool — trained, Metropass just be watching the campaign of TTC management to contract out as many 90-second theatrical version of the ad. jobs as possible, beginning with the subway washroom experienced, and invested Tens of thousands did so. As on mid- cleaners and night garbage collectors to the Bus Service employees, Kinnear said. November, the video registered more than 120,000 views, a huge success. Line workers at several garages. “By effectively destroying this resource, the TTC is investing in a false economy It was actually a coincidence that the campaign was launched instead of a viable, efficient economic future. at the very time the TTC was contracting out the Bus Service Line work to low wage contractors. Planning for the “They’re talking about saving money in the short term, but campaign had begun eight months earlier and the union had what happens after that? Trained subway mechanics don’t no advance knowledge of this particular round of contracting just appear out of nowhere. There are only two subway systems in Canada — where will the TTC hire from if not from within? The main aspects of the campaign were: • A series of three 30-second television ads that played on Toronto TV stations over a thousand times during the five-week campaign period. • A 90-second “theatrical” version of the ads which played before the feature film in every Cineplex movie theatre in Toronto until early November. This version played over 14,000 times in the theatres and wowed audiences, who had never before seen a Hollywood-style ad for a union. This video “Protecting What Matters,” is also on YouTube. com where it has been viewed over 124,000 times. (To see the video, go to YouTube.com and search Protecting What Matters, ATU. • A special website: ProtectingWhatMatters.ca which features detailed profiles of the workers seen in the There were three types of TTC posters, one for each of the main vehicles: campaign, several videos including the theatrical version bus, streetcar and subway. Passengers on buses, for example only saw and the TV ads, and other information on ATU Local 113 the posters of Maintenance workers related to subways, and so on. The “Right Now” concept was designed to make passengers connect their riding and its members. experience at the moment with someone behind the scenes who had worked on the vehicle they were on. PROTECTING WHAT MATTERS PROTECTING WHAT 5 THE MAINTENANCE CAMPAIGN

• Several newspaper ads, designed to drive readers to the website, where they can enter a contest for a free Monthly Metropass. One was awarded every day during the campaign and a special Yearly Metropass was awarded at the end of the campaign. • Thousands of posters on TTC vehicles, including several subway cars where every poster was from the campaign, an impressive sight. • Two web videos. The first is a beautiful rendering of the once-every-five-years refurbishment of a streetcar, showcasing the many skills of ATU members involved in extending the life of Toronto’s iconic public transit vehicles. The second is a documentary on how a TTC worker came up with an idea for in-house battery refurbishment that saves the TTC over a million dollars a year compared to contracting out the job, which used to happen. Both videos are available on the website and on YouTube. The cost of the campaign is about a dollar a week for Local 113 members over the three year life of the current collective agreement.

THANKS! to the many Maintenance members who appeared Top: A production assistant wipes the inside of the streetcar window squeaky in and assisted with the campaign. Thanks as well to TTC clean to ensure there are no specks of dust that would show up in the super- management, from the CEO to shop supervisors, who were sensitive lens of the Phantom camera, which is about to film a scene with grinding sparks shooting out from the left of the vehicle very cooperative from start to finish.

When not being used to shoot, the one million dollar “Phantom” camera was always held by a crew member. The special camera is used in high-quality productions to achieve the instantaneous slow- motion-to-fast-motion in one shot effects that were a feature of the TV commercials. On several subway cars, every sign in the car was ours – an awesome experience!

Who’s that girl? Eight-year- Public Appreciation The day after the old Ava Preston, already a press conference professional and an ACTRA The 90-second theatrical ad that played for weeks in launching the member, was selected from Toronto Cineplex theatres (and remains on YouTube) campaign, this dozens of girls who auditioned full-colour full for the brief part at the end was met with acclaim. The YouTube version garnered page ad in the of every TV ad, including many positive comments. In the theatres, where Toronto Star the theatrical version. broke new She’s wearing two ATU caps it played before the feature film, there were many ground for union because when she was given reports of the audience applauding the ad. Toronto campaigns. As a one, she asked for another Councillor Shelley Carroll relates one: She was in a Star advertising for her sister. Everyone who official said: worked on the ad campaign, Scarborough Cineplex when the ad showed: “It was “We’ve never from the Executive Director incredible. People applauded and cheered the ATU seen anything to the Production Assistants, this dramatic photographers, even the ad. I’ve never experienced anything like it.” from a union – caterer, was a member of or anyone, for a union. that matter.” THE MAINTENANCE CAMPAIGN 6 HEALTH & SAFETY Driving a bus is hazardous to your health

ecent innovative research by The scariest finding: 41.5% of the transit workers had Rthe U.S. National Institute for hypertension (high blood pressure), compared to 27.6% for Occupational Safety and Health all the 214,413 workers studied. High blood pressure leads (NIOSH) shows that bus drivers and to all kinds of other health problems, including heart attacks other “passenger transit workers” suffer and strokes. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in

Toronto’s favourite rap greater rates of illness than workers in the United States and Canada. on TTC drivers is that many other industries and occupations. For a range of chronic diseases such as low back pain, they are “surly.” Transit work is one of the top three jobs Maybe they’re just asthma, depression, and diabetes the drivers’ rates also were sick and in pain, as in which you face the highest risk of 120% higher than all people in the 55 sectors. many international contracting 10 common diseases. Job- Many studies have confirmed that urban bus drivers are studies show. related hazards also contribute to the at high risk for many illnesses. In Denmark, for example, fact that these workers have 120% above the average rate for urban bus drivers have the highest rates of hospital 9 chronic diseases. admissions for cardiac disease. Tim Bushnell from NIOSH presented these preliminary From “Dying at Work in California: The Hidden Stories results at a recent International Transportation Federation Behind the Numbers.” health and safety conference in San Francisco. Bushnell studied the records of 214,413 workers in 55 sectors-two- thirds of all possible types of workplaces. Streetcar Op wins over city; public anger at Advice for TTC Bus and TTC management may Streetcar Operators lead to clearer rules Veteran streetcar Operator Dino Oroc Tell your doctor what you do for a living and ask Below are samples taken from newspaper moved Toronto with him or her to pay special attention to the signs websites of public reaction to Dino Oroc’s his response to a suspected sexual of hypertension and cardiovascular problems. Do suspension for pursuing a suspected sexual assault. NOT skip annual checkups. It may well be useful assailant. Note: Dino was returned to work to get a home blood pressure monitor and check with no loss of pay and the triggering incident was ultimately your pressure once a week at the same time, deemed a “misunderstanding” although Dino could not have noting it on a chart. known that at the time. Byford committed to Kinnear that they There are medicines that can help reduce blood would communicate to clarify the rules in such situations. pressure but there are also less invasive and “This TTC driver should be praised and awarded to coming to the aid of a woman who had just been sexually assaulted and NOT suspended! more sustainable ways of keeping it under WHAT is WRONG with the TTC??!! Put this very fine man back to work control. Again, see your doctor. IMMEDIATELY!” The union will be consulting I have never been on the same side of any argument with Kinnear ever with occupational disease before! But I gotta agree with him this time! This driver needs to be commended! experts in the months ahead “Policies have to have a bit of room for the right thing to do! This is why to get a better fix on these people these days are afraid to help someone these days. You get punished hazards as they might apply for doing the decent humane thing. DISGRACEFUL.” to Toronto transit workers What hasn’t been mentioned is that all TTC buses and street cars have A home blood and what we should be security cameras so the alleged perp’s mug would be captured on pressure monitor can video. Nonetheless the driver should be commended for coming to the doing about them. We have help you keep track aid of the victim and the TTC should chill on its’ policies. of changes in this negotiated good pensions for vital sign. Ignoring “Damned if they do and damned if they don’t It sure is tough to be a TTC potential risks is our members and we want driver these days. And society wonders why people are not helping out no way to live. Get all of you to collect them for when a crime occurs.” regular checkups. many years. Take care of “I’m sure that if this employee just let the suspect run away, he’d still yourself! be under fire for not trying to stop him. I understand the rules being there for a reason, but I think in situations like this the rules need to

HEALTH & SAFETY HEALTH be bent a little.” 7 HEALTH & SAFETY ’s DNA Saliva Kit Giving Drivers New Tool to Combat Spitting Assaults

ith the exception of verbal abuse or threats, spitting the London area – a system with over 700 bus routes and Wat drivers is perhaps the most pervasive form of driver carrying over 6 million passenger per day - were distributed assaults. Transport authorities in the United Kingdom have the kits, with driver training on how to use the kits. As of the instituted a program that seems to be having an impact on end of 2011, more than 11,000 DNA saliva kits have been spitting assaults, and is quickly being implemented by transit issued to and London bus staff. authorities across the globe, often with union endorsement. In response to a rising number of recorded assaults against staff, Scotland’s Scotrail trains initiated a trial program where DNA kits are made available that would allow staff to preserve the saliva and hand it over to the police for testing. The kit is relatively simple, consisting of a pair of sterile latex gloves, one self-sealing evidence bag and two sterile swabs in containers. Within just months the collection of DNA from spitting assaults led to 3 positive identifications and at least 2 prosecutions. Following the early success Left: A “Spit Kit” issued to tens of thousands of transit workers of the Scotrail program, Central Trains, in Birmingham in the UK. Right: A transit worker in Boston, which has adopted DNA testing of spit to catch assailants. became the first train operator in England and Wales to introduce the DNA testing kits to combat the rise in spitting The statistics are encouraging: bus-related crime overall assaults. That same month, the central stations in the was down by double digits and in the most recent year for London Underground were outfitted with the kits. Besides which statistics are available, the kits used by Tube staff had being able to collect DNA for evidence against assailants, helped prosecute over 100 people who had assaulted them. the public notice that the kits are on board with operating The Transport for London initiative is having an impact. The staff acts as an added deterrent. kits are now being made available in other jurisdictions such Transport for London has been by far the most aggressive as nearby locales Basingstoke and Kent County, as well as transport authority in instituting the DNA kits across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Brisbane, Australia, and Boston. They other transit services. The 22,500 bus drivers working in are also being studied in .

Moncton, New Brunswick ATU lockout in its sixth month

t’s been a mess in Moncton since late June, when the City countered with an April 2012 proposal that would raise wages Ilocked out the 90 members of ATU Local 1290 who work to $55,000. The members also voted for strike action to get at Codiac Transpo, which normally the talks going but did not actually walk out. serves about 70,000 people a day. Local President George Turple was taken by surprise when The workers have been without a the city declared a lockout without informing the union or contract for well over two years. the customers, who were left stranded. The city says it can’t In late 2010, after months of talks, afford the union’s proposal but refused to return to the negotiators for the union and the bargaining table until the province appointed a mediator, who The City of Moncton locked city-owned Codiac agreed to a was unsuccessful. The union has called for binding arbitration out its transit workers in settlement that the city council but the city has refused. June, 2012, after more than two years of fruitless refused to ratify. It would have seen In October, Bob Kinnear went to Moncton to bring financial negotiations and a refusal a bus operator’s annual wages go support from Local 113 and to join other ATU locals in calling by the city to honour a 2010 from $44,000 to $51,000 over settlement that had been for arbitration. As of press time of On the Move, the lockout, agreed to by union and five years. After more than a year now in its sixth month, is continuing. company negotiators. of stalemated talks, the union HEALTH & SAFETY HEALTH 8 TTC POLITICS Meet the new “citizen” TTC Commissioners. Where will they stand on contracting out and privatization?

In March of this year, City Council restructured the Toronto Transit Commission, the TTC’s governing body. Previously, the Commission was composed of nine members, all of them had to be sitting City Councillors. The new Commission has seven Councillors and four “citizen” members who serve four year terms. Council just recently got around to appointing the citizen members.

Maureen Adamson, CEO of Cystic Anju Kumar Virmani is chief information Fibrosis Canada, a non-profit charity. officer of Cargojet Income Fund in Mississauga. Adamson was previously an Assistant She lives in Toronto. Cargojet is a fairly large Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Canadian-based provider of overnight time- Health in Ontario and a senior hospital sensitive cargo. An online search for information administrator before that. In the 2010 on Ms. Virmani yielded no more information. municipal election she publicly supported Because the citizen commissioners do not have to be former police officer Ken Chan as Councillor for Ward popularly elected, it is presumed that they can stay above 27. Chan had returned to Toronto from London, England, the general political fray at City Hall that often leaks over where he had been an advisor to Conservative Mayor into TTC decision-making. On the other hand, they are not Boris Johnson. Mayoralty candidate and former Ontario accountable to the general public for their decisions and Minister of Health George Smitherman also supported Chan. positions. The trade-off may be worth it; time will tell. The Smitherman lost to Rob Ford and Chan lost to Kristen biggest test of where they stand on the future of Toronto’s Wong-Tam, who had heavy support from the ever-popular transit system will be in the whole area of contracting out, Olivia Chow. i.e. privatization. TTC CEO Andy Byford and Commission Alan Heisey is a lawyer and former Chair of the Chair Karen Stintz have made it clear that they are fans Toronto Police Services Board. He was also a of privatization, despite overwhelming evidence that prior Chair of the Toronto Parking Authority who transit privatization (such as the so-called “public-private oversaw installation of the wireless, solar-powered partnerships, or P3s) has virtually always failed to deliver the “pay and display” machines that accept credit promised benefits to riders and taxpayers. Around the globe, cards. Heisey is considered a progressive environmentalist. only the participating corporations have won in P3 deals. He rides the TTC often when he is not on his bicycle. As Chair of the Police Board, he declined to use the provided limousine. Also as Board Chair he showed great concern over The seven City Councillors racial profiling and pushed for reform of the Police Complaints who sit on the Commission: system over the objections of then-Police Chief . In 2001, Heisey was the target of an entirely fabricated smear Karen Stintz* campaign, according to Justice Sydney Robins of the Ontario Maria Augimeri Court of Appeal, who investigated “leaked” police allegations Raymond Cho* of wrongdoing by Heisey. Josh Colle Nick Di Donato is a University of Toronto- Glenn De Baeremaeker trained professional engineer and developer Peter Milczyn* who heads up the Liberty Entertainment John Parker* Group, which specializes in high-end clubs, *Councillors who voted in December 2010 to ask the restaurants and event venues such as the Liberty Grand on province to declare the TTC an “essential service,” the CNE grounds, the Rosewater Supper Club, Yorkville’s Ciao thereby taking away our right to free collective Wine Bar, Tattoo Rock Parlour, Spice Route and some U.S. bargaining. Since then, however, Councillor Cho has properties. The energetic Di Donato, who collects celebrity voted against contracting out TTC unionized jobs (as connections like philatelists collect stamps, also sits on several did Augimeri and De Baeremaeker), for which we are development and charitable boards such as the Humber River grateful. Councillor Colle, did the reverse. He voted Hospital Foundation, Invest Toronto and many others. against the essential service motion but voted for contracting out the Bus Service jobs. TTC POLITICS 9 2012 Scholarship Winners The 2012 John Lorimer Memorial Scholarship Winners

The John Lorimer Memorial Scholarship was established in 1964 for the children of active or retired ATU 113 members who are entering or attending university. In that first year, three students received the scholarship in the amount of $400 each. To date, over 1000 scholarships have been awarded for a total value of well over $1,000,000. Each of this year’s 40 winners have received $1500 to assist them in their university course of studies. We congratulate them and their justifiably proud parents.

Anthony James Cagalawan Daniel Martins Vanessa Mammone Claudia Palmero University of Waterloo York University York University University of Toronto Computer Engineering Bachelor of Business Administration Bachelor of Business Administration General Anthropology Parent: Anthony M. Cagalawan Parent: Humberto Martins Parent: Dominic Mammone Parent: Marco Palmero Wilson Division Harvey Rail Wilson Garage Duncan Shop

Ryan Neville Myra Wein Talha Zia Meh Noor University of Toronto University of Toronto University of Toronto McMaster University Bachelor of Arts Humanities Co-Op Political Science – Bachelor of Arts Neuroscience Bachelor of Arts Sciences Parent: Brian Neville Parent: Lawrence Wein Parent: Mohammad Zia Parent: Muhammad Hanif Harvey Shop Eglinton Traffic Greenwood Shop Lakeshore Division

Olivia Barbara Henn Josef Bednarski Jordana Schiralli Nikhile Mookerji Ontario College of Art and Design University McMaster University University of Toronto Wilfred Laurier Drawing and Painting Life Sciences Bachelor of Arts Health Sciences Parent: Joseph Henn Parent: Andreas Siebert Parent: Andrew Schiralli Parent: Subroto Mookerji Hillcrest Paintshop Greenwood Carhouse Davisville Carhouse Wilson Subway 2012 S cholarship W inners 10 2012 Scholarship Winners

Michael Triolo Jennifer Kowbell Wade Thomas Walker Kelly Simpson York University University of Toronto McGill University University of Western Ontario Honours Biology Music Education Bachelor of Arts and Science Health Sciences Parent: Leonardo Triolo Parent: Daniel Kowbell Parent: Raymond Walker Parent: Danny Simpson Wilson Carhouse Collector Retired Revenue Ops

Jessica Pasqua Anthony Cassata Jasmin Dhillon Claudia Pozzebon York University York University University of Toronto University of Guelph Bachelor of Fine Arts – Dance Science and Engineering Criminology and Sociology Bachelor of Science Parent: Roberto Pasqua Parent: Filippo Cassata Parent: Balbir Dhillon Parent: Paolo Pozzebon Wilson Garage Duncan Shop Mount Dennis Queensway Garage

Christopher Juliao Erika Samithamby Stephanie Perruzza Ryan Tapley University of Toronto University of Toronto University of Toronto University of Guelph Life Sciences BIO Medical Science Bachelor of Science Accounting Parent: Joseph Juliao Parent: Pathmarajah Samithamby Parent: Olimpio Perruzza Parent: Glenn Tapley Duncan Shop Bloor-Danforth Duncan Shop Mount Dennis

Kayleigh Brownhill Harry Chaudhary Nicholas Karavanas Karam Kaur University of British Columbia University of Toronto University of Waterloo McMaster University Bachelor of Science Life Sciences Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Life Sciences Parent: Bruce Brownhill Parent: Pawan Chaudhary Parent: Christos Karavanas Parent: Ranjit Singh Bloor-Danforth Veolia SW Paint/Signage Danforth (Collector) 2012 S cholarship W inners 11 2012 Scholarship Winners

Autumn Yaworski Sharmela Brown Jeremy Ambraska Sansia Waite University of Toronto University of Toronto Queen’s University Seneca at York Life Sciences Journalism Bachelor of Arts Chemical Lab Technician Parent: Greg Yaworski Parent: Errol Brown Parent: John Ambraska Parent: Christine Monfriese Wilson Garage Arrow Road Russell Division Arrow Road

Hyun Ju Song Daniel Doan Amanda Lee Shrutika Purushothaman Sheridan College University of Toronto Arkansas State University Western University Applied Arts – Animation Computer Engineering Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science Parent: Byeong In Song Parent: Thong Doan Parent: Douglas Lee Parent: Sukumar Purushothaman Veolia SW Davisville Carhouse Arrow Road Mount Dennis

Kevin Price Dogu Beran Demirer Kevin Sun Kyle Anderson Trent University University of Toronto McGill University University of Toronto Concurrent Education Commerce/Management Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Arts – Political Science Parent: Peter Kirwin Parent: Haver Demirer Parent: James Sun Parent: James Anderson Malvern Division Mount Dennis Russell Division Danforth Subway

We want to hear about former Better late than never! scholarship winners Last year we somehow missed including Melissa Tramontozzi If your child was a union scholarship winner and has finished his or her post- in the list of 2011 scholarship winners. Our apologies! Melissa secondary education, we’d like to follow is studying in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University up to see how they are doing. Are they of Toronto St.George Campus. She is majoring in Religious working in their chosen career or did Education with two minors in French and English. Her father, they find another vocation? Married? Children? Let us know! We’ll feature Dan Tramontozzi, is a Bus Operator at the Arrow Road Division. them in this magazine. Send details A belated congratulations to Melissa and Dan. and a current picture of your successful kid to the union office. 2012 S cholarship W inners 12 ACROSS THE BOARD

Manny Sforza I would like to wish those board The last couple of years have been Executive Vice-President members that are retiring at the end challenging with the TTC becoming an We have certainly of this term all the best in their future essential service and taking our right been through some endeavors. to strike from us. The long process of very difficult times In closing please work safely, every negotiating our Collective Agreement as a Union over the hour of everyday! Please remember that ended in binding arbitration. This past three years. We those that have died on the job, is more than likely going to be the have faced many including our dear brother and friend, norm in the future. We are entering a challenges and been successful Peter Pavlovski. new era with new management at the helm and the dangerous path they are because we have worked as a team, Frank Grimaldi taking us down with the contracting lead by a great leader and President. I ABA Transportation would also like to take this opportunity out of Maintenance jobs. Once we lose I would like to take to thank all of the Executive Board those jobs, we will never be able to this opportunity to members for all of their hard work and regain them. What stops them from thank all the Shop dedication over the past three years. contracting transportation jobs out Stewards for a job We also have Stewards in every work in the future? We must be united and well done. We had location that work diligently assisting stand together, brothers & Sisters. a few rough spots members with issues on a daily basis, I can’t stress enough when a problem but at the end of the day things have and Wardens that have stepped in to arises it must be brought to the Shop worked out well. I would particularly help when called upon. Stewards or your Board Member’s like to thank our Transportation attention immediately, not months As we move forward, we are faced Wardens, Frank Malta and Otis Leow after the incident, as there are with the most difficult challenge our for holding down the fort when the timelines to file a grievance. Union have ever faced that being Board was away. the contacting out of our work. In closing, I would like to thank my At the beginning of this term, I As you have seen recently by our Shop Stewards Roland Beaudet and pledged to work closely with you to Maintenance Media Campaign, we are Roy Fleming for their efforts these achieve our goals. This would not attempting to educate the public on past 3 years. have been possible if it wasn’t for the the hard work that our members do help and dedication of Ian Mackay. We Cliff Piggott daily behind the scenes, to ensure the had five new Transportation Board Arrow Road/Mount Dennis/Veolia public moves seamlessly and safely Members and Ian’s help on bringing As 2013 is rapidly across this city. Contracting out the everyone on board was critical. approaching we face work is not the answer and we must numerous new stand strong to make sure we are In our 113th year, Local 113 is in challenges. Our two heard. a relentless fight with the City of Toronto to protect our jobs, wages, major concerns this Finally, I would like to take the and pensions. We must be united in year will be the opportunity to remind everyone once our fight and support President Bob issue of Contracting again to ensure their SBA application Kinnear in order to win. Unconditional Out and the implementation of is completed properly. Also, if you support is a must. Metrolinx. are hurt or injured on the job, please Reflecting on the past year the ensure you complete an Occupational Carmen Lint legislation that made us an essential Injury Report immediately and include Birchmount/Malvern service has limited our ability to all relevant information including It’s been close to 3 negotiate our own contract. The result witnesses. Before accepting any light years that I have of which was the arbitrated settlement duties following an injury, ensure you represented decision handed down last June. are clear on your medical restrictions, Birchmount and see a doctor immediately and Malvern Division. I At this time I would like to take this remember not to sign the back of the have done so with opportunity to express my sincere form accepting alternate work if you the upmost pleasure and look forward thanks to Marvin Alfred and Paul do not believe you can perform them. to representing you in the future. Flynn for their tireless efforts in ACROSS THE BOARD 13 ACROSS THE BOARD representing the Brother and Ian Mackay John Wales Sisters at Arrow Road and Mount Wilson Bus/Wilson Subway Collectors/Clerical/TCT/Patten/Traffic Dennis Divisions. The Shop Stewards Checkers/Wheel-Trans Administration On a personal note I wish to thank are the backbone of 2012 has been a year Marvin for assisting me while I was the Union. There’s a of change. The TTC recovering from hip surgery this past cold wind blowing, has taken a summer. Further, congratulations to telling people they confrontational Paul on a long distinguished career have no choice but direction, with their as he has decided to retire. I wish to take less. contracting out and him luck in all his future endeavors. And why is that? We pick the enemy. operating excellence. Our right to In closing, it is important to remember We have to figure out a way for more protest and strike has been removed our strength is in solidarity. I look working people to understand who the and has greatly affected our RIGHT to forward to seeing you all at our enemy is. Collective Bargaining. regular monthly meetings. Imagine a world without unions. The We are on the front lines. Our friends Mark Bertoia peasants – and the elite. The rich – and have been victims of tragic accidents. Bloor-Danforth Subway/SRT/ Eglinton/ the poor. No middle class. That’s the We have had a collector the victim of Wheel-Trans Transportation way it used to be, not all that long ago. gunfire and have suffered the ridicule To the approximate And that’s the way the rich would like of many idiots with a camera. We put 1400 hundred it to be again. None of these boring our safety on the line every day. We members I unions trying to get workers to share a have struggled to see eye to eye with represent at little more in the fruits of their labour. our short sighted Mayor at city hall. Eglinton, Wheel You think it can’t go back to those days? The list is endless. Trans and the B-D Both the Harper Federal government The issues are different today than S.R.T. This special and the McGuinty provincial a hundred years ago but it’s still the time of the year is fast approaching, all government have taken away the same old fight. The establishment the best to you and your families. right to strike of many unions, not just trying to take away everything Union’s Thanking all of my shop stewards for ours. Little by little, they are stripping fought for. We are workers in a Union; your service to the members. Our workers of their rights and lowering workers who support each other, there president is working tirelessly to stop taxes on the rich and increasing user is no race, gender, colour or religion this unjust, unprecedented attack on fees on public services that the middle in a Union, just workers. Let’s all our jobs that could ultimately affect class and the working class and the remember what our union represents future generations of 113 members. poor rely on. It doesn’t matter to the when in the coming years when TTC, rich if TTC fares go up or if we have the Commissioners and City Hall start Our strength in numbers and your to wait longer for medical care and looking at ways to reduce numbers individual support is a requirement test. They have fancy cars and private either in maintenance or transportation. of commitment to fight this anti- clinics. Too bad for the rest of us. They union, privatization mentality of the Well that’s enough of the soap box. want to go back to the good old days. upper management, City Hall and the It has not been all doom and gloom. Provincial Government. Looking at the I thank the Shop Stewards for their Brother Frank Grimaldi and I have current landscape, worldwide, it is not loyal and ongoing support over these been successful at creating new non- a pretty picture. Let us turn despair last six years. I thank Frank Malta, signing positions and higher wage into hope, hope into victory. Turn this Demetri Kasiasi, and so many other rates. Arbitration’s have been settled unjust society to a just society, good important people in my working life at in favour of our members. We have jobs for all. Wilson Division. We all work together negotiated settlements of substantial for the benefit of the membership. Our amounts and we are close to finalizing Union has been around for more than other improvements. I have been Be the first to know. a century and so much progress has fortunate to have great support and Attend monthly been made because we stuck together. assistance from Brother Grimaldi and membership meetings. We must continue to do this, brothers all the Shop Stewards that I work with. and sisters. ACROSS THE BOARD 14 ACROSS THE BOARD

Paul S. Haynes praise and gratitude to the following We are doing what we can as we speak, Executive Board Members Queensway, individuals. Rob Kempers, Joseph talking to politicians, filing grievances Roncesvalles, Russell (Pat) Lavallee and Anthony Watson. and coming up with proposals on This will be the last All three of these individuals made my contracting out issues. The problem? article I write this job a little easier THEY ARE NOT LISTENING. They year. I’m looking Thank you all and I hope to correspond are on agenda to wipe out Unions. forward to with you in the next magazine. As this battle rages we will be asking addressing the our members to help, depending what

sisters and brothers Rocco Signorile these measures are can only succeed Secretary-Treasurer that I represent in of it’s done in unison. Some of these the next article due out sometime next Times are tough out measures will test the resolve of our year. Wow, what a term it has been. I there. We are at a membership, but I know we can do it; I can’t believe that the term is up already. time in our Local’s have faith in our membership. A lot has happened and yes, we were in history like no Think about it what good is a few the eye of the storm. However we other. All around us dollars today when you have no job believe that we’ve weathered the storm from almost every tomorrow? well. As newly elected Executive corner we are being attacked by As for TTC management they are not Boards Members, I for one was management, politicians, the media and your friends, they are coming into overwhelmed. I have to admit that I the public. We have NO friends. The our workplace on a daily basis and made a few decisions not everyone soft middle has become fence sitters pretending to talk to our members like agreed with but all in all we had the and now cowers to the right wing. The they are one of the family. best interests of all our members at buzz words are “austerity” and “gravy heart. It has been a rough three years train,” to name a few. THEY ARE NOT! They are looking at you as a dollar figure and how much for all. I’ve learned from my Just open your front door to your home cheaper they can get you for. So when shortcomings and I will say this to all of in the west end and see A Green for Life they come into your location, whether you: I believe that after what we’ve been garbage truck picking up your garbage it be a retirement or social event, be through that I for one have learned a to see what I am talking about. The only professional and ignore them, ask them valuable lesson and it is one that I’m not “green for life” is all the “green profits” face to face about contracting out, point likely to repeat. It has made me a these private companies will be making out to them how WE MAKE THE TTC stronger person. Suffice to say that it on the backs of labor. What’s next? RUN. Remind them how Stintz said on takes a long while to get to know all the Private buses in downtown Toronto? people involved and to know when and camera “we are the best at what we do.” We need to stick together, call your where to push. Believe me when I say Ask why they gave themselves a raise, MPs, MPPs, City Councilors, and to everyone that it’s a valuable lesson when they fought not to give us a raise. whoever is the next Mayor (at the and it was one that I took to heart. So Just keep asking “why”? time of writing, it was unsure how I’m looking forward to serving the fine long Ford would stay in office.) Voice sisters and brothers of Queensway, YOUR opinion as a VOTER in their Roncesvalles and Russell Divisions for BAD TTC REPORT CARD constituency; put a face and a voice another term. in their riding because they will have An independent I will say that I enjoyed it and I believe to listen. If more and more of our transit users’ advocacy group, The STaTe of that I did the best job I could have done members call in and get their family Public TranSiT under the circumstances. As a board and friends as well to do it we can TTC Riders, has in ToronTo issued its first we accomplished a lot. In closing I will make change. add that a lot of thanks has to go to the report card on A politician’s livelihood depends on shop stewards at the locations that I as how the TTC is getting voted in, they will not listen doing in five key a rePorT card by TTcriderS/July 2012

an Executive Board Member represent. Photo: Secondarywaltz to the Union as a body but rather the areas. Not good. Their hard work and dedication at the individuals who vote for them. This is Most to blame: divisions did not go unnoticed. For not just the Union’s responsibility, it is government underfunding. Read the that I am very grateful and would like ALL of ours. fact-filled report at www.ttcriders.ca. to extend a tremendous amount of ACROSS THE BOARD 15 HEALTH & SAFETY TTC assailants going to jail

Prosecutions of people who assault TTC staff are rising and the assailants are increasingly doing jail time. Last summer, a woman who yelled racial slurs and pepper sprayed an Operator and three passengers on a Sheppard Ave. bus near Downsview Station was jailed for 46 days. The passengers had come to the aid of the Operator, who was sprayed over a transfer that had expired. She fled the bus but was arrested a short time later by Toronto Police. Dana Chobatru, 29, was also sentenced to 18-months of house arrest after pleading guilty to four charges of assault with a weapon. Also last summer, Alton Jackson was found guilty of assault and mischief and was given a 70-day jail sentence for attacking a bus Operator and damaging the vehicle. The 45-year-old man flew into a rage when he was told a bus was

out of service. He spat on the driver twice, ripped out the In 2006, On The Move ran a special report on the rising incidence of emergency phone and used it to smash the headlights of the assaults against TTC workers. Since then, assaults have not diminished bus. A security camera captured the attack. Jackson is also noticeably but assailants who are caught are getting stiffer sentences. It is believed that assaults occur more often in crowded conditions, higher fares serving two years’ probation which includes a ban on riding and reduced service that leads to passenger frustration. the TTC between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and staying away from the Operator. helping employee victims with paperwork and advice and assisting the Crown in putting the assailants behind bars. Ladies, gentlemen, we know that service has suffered In the past, workers who were assaulted were on their own because of a failure of governments to properly fund transit. when it came to court. If their assailant was caught and there But don’t take it out on the employees. That would be like was a trial, they would show up to testify without anyone slapping the cashier at Loblaws over the price of rice. from the TTC present. Assailants would sometimes get off Still at large entirely, or with very light sentences, such as probation. The man who shot Collector William Anderson in his booth Things are very different now. There is a 95 per cent at Dupont Station earlier this year has not been caught, conviction rate and the union is grateful for this assistance, despite a $25,000 reward offered by the TTC. The masked long in coming. robber was armed with a revolver when he demanded If you have any ideas on how to prevent assaults from money from Anderson, who refused. The man walked away happening in the first place, speak with your Executive walked away, then turned and fired three rounds through Board member. All ideas will be considered by the the shatterproof, but not bulletproof, glass. Anderson was union and, if they make sense, advanced in discussions wounded in the chest and neck and was hospitalized. He has with the TTC. On average, there are two reported cases since recovered, thankfully. a day of an assault against TTC employees. This is the first time that the TTC has offered a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Assaults rising across continent COURT ADVOCATE Do a Google search: “assaults on transit workers” and In 2009, four years after the shooting of Bus Operator Jaime you get more than 70,000 hits. It is clear that assaults Pereira and three years after the one-day “incident” of a are on the rise virtually everywhere in North America. Is it system-wide shutdown over the issue of the growing number a coincidence that the trend seems to follow government of assaults, the TTC established the Employee Support and cutbacks in transit service? This time last year, CBC Radio Advocate Program to help assault victims and get tougher carried a special report on transit assaults in Canada. sentences for their assailants. The program has worked well, Go to www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2011/12/01/ thanks to the tireless efforts of Stuart Budgell and Richard transit-workers-assaulted-on-the-job/ Symons, who are in the courts constantly, 800 times a year, HEALTH & SAFETY HEALTH 113th Anniversary Gala a Stellar Event

On October 13, 2012, Local 113 held its 113th Anniversary Gala at the Toronto Sheraton Centre. Hundreds of members and partners attended, along with ATU locals from across the continent, several City Councillors, MPs and MPPs and International President Larry Hanley. All were wowed by the massive ice sculptures, a moving video on the history of the Local, fireworks, a sumptuous dinner, open bar and a rousing performance by Toronto rock icon Kim Mitchell.

The streetcar made of ice is even more impressive when you know that it stood over six feet tall and 12 feet long.

Sparklers erupted at each table all at once, along with fireworks from the stage, at the conclusion of the Local 113 history video, which was given a standing ovation.

Queensway Transportation Steward Robert Kempers and fiancé Jane Smallwood in front of the first ice sculpture to greet guests.

Rocker Kim Mitchell, who once led the 1970s Toronto band Max Webster, had the dance floor filled within seconds of the start of his show. Two bars made of ice served nothing but cold ones.

International President Larry Hanley (right) came Canadian Post Publication Agreement No.: 41202529 to Toronto for the festivities Return undeliverables to ATU 113, 812 Wilson Ave., Downsview ON M3K 1E5 and to get to know Local 113 members better. With him are L-R: Larry Kinnear, Bob Kinnear, Ian Mackay, Frank Malta, Manny Sforza and Frank Giustini.