WHAT A LIFE! GREAT JOB! PLUNDERED! GREAT LOSS Oldest ATU Scholarship Brits pay 10x more Public transit 113 member winners make for privatized champion gone reached 105! 17 us proud. 18 rail service. 4 too young. 10 2014 FEBRUARY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE READY TO ROLL Never before has the importance of politics loomed so large in the future of ATU Local 113. The Ford administration is starving the TTC. The Ontario government is hell-bent on privatizing all future transit. The Federal government couldn’t care less about Toronto’s transit problems. Our Political Action Committee is already hitting the streets, working hard to defeat our political foes and elect our friends. Join them! PAGE 8

PRIVATIZATION & CONTRACTING OUT. LABOUR’S 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGE This issue of On The Move focusses on the ongoing fight against contracting out and privatization. Because whatever other issues we may have as workers, they are usually only issues if we have jobs. The best known solution to threats against workers is solidarity. By ourselves, we have so little power. Together, united, we can make the world better. We have in the past and we will continue to do so. 2 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014 Dream Makers and Local 113 give member’s grandson a day to remember awrence Ali is a Local 113 member working in Harvey Enter Dream Makers, a non-profit children’s charity started LShops at Hillcrest. His grandson, Jaden, was born with 25 years ago by another 113 member, Mario Barone Gilbert’s Syndrome, a genetic condition that often severely (Roncesvalles) and half a dozen union volunteers. Barone was affects both the length and the quality of life for those who approached to help organize fund-raising for the Air Canada have it. Doctors warned the family that Jaden might not be children’s charity program, Dreams Take Flight, which flies able to walk or talk. But the spunky, unstoppable kid and his groups of sick children to Florida’s Disney World for a day. loving, supportive family proved them wrong, though he still That experience led to the founding of Dream Makers, which has serious physical limitations to deal with. now has over 200 volunteers. Seventy per cent of them Lawrence Ali’s (Harvey are Local 113 members. The charity helps a wide range of Shops) grandson, Jaden causes, in Toronto and around the world, that are devoted to (green shirt) had a helping children facing serious life challenges. great time at Canada’s Wonderland, thanks When Dream Makers learned about Jaden, they decided to to Dream Makers and Local 113, which send him and his family on an all-expense paid day trip to funded the trip for him Paramount Canada’s Wonderland. A very memorable time and his family. Jaden was had by all, especially Jaden. was born with Gilbert’s Syndrome, a physically Dream Makers is supported by many personal and business very challenging genetic donations. The Local 113 Executive Board insisted on paying disorder that has nevertheless not stopped all expenses for Jayden’s trip, on top of its normal generous the energetic six-year-old support for the charity. from enjoying life as fully as possible.

February 2014 MAIL PUBLICATION AGREEMENT SENIOR OFFICERS TRANSPORTATION #41202529 RETURN Editor-in-Chief: Bob Kinnear Bob Kinnear Rocco Signorile – At Large UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN President/Business Agent onthemove ADDRESSES TO Carmen Lint – Birchmount/Malvern is published by ATU Local 113, Toronto THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS Manny Sforza Cliff Piggott – Arrow Road/Mount Dennis Executive Vice President Transit Workers. AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION Mark Bertoia – SRT/Eglinton/Wheel-Trans LOCAL 113 Kevin Morton Affiliated with the Toronto and York Anthony Watson – Queensway/Roncesvalles/ 812 Wilson Avenue Secretary-Treasurer Russell Region Labour Council, Ontario Scott Gordon Downsview, Ontario Frank Malta – Wilson Bus/Wilson Subway Federation of Labour M3K 1E5 Assistant Business Agent John Wales– and Canadian Labour Congress. Maintenance Collectors/Clerical/Patten Phone: 416.398.5113 Building/Traffic Checkers/Wheel-Trans Frank Grimaldi Toll Free: 1.800.245.9929 Administration. Fax: 416.398.4978 Assistant Business Agent Transportation WARDENS www.wemovetoronto.ca EXECUTIVE BOARD Maintenance – MEMBERS Sergio Chianello David Maher MAINTENANCE Transportation – Paul Callaghan – At Large Rob Kempers Phil Horgan – Equipment “A” Otis Leow Automotive (Garages) John Di Nino – Equipment “E” Carhouses Tony Vaccaro – Hillcrest Complex Sandro Bonadies – Plant Editorial and design services by Reno Associates Inc. (United Food & Commercial Workers Canada) 3 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113 Contract, politics and union operations are the big challenges for 2014 Bob Kinnear here are four major challenges Even a minority Hudak government could be very, very bad President Tfacing our union in 2014. Each for Local 113. The government has the power to appoint will affect every member today and a contract arbitrator if the two sides cannot agree on one. future members for a long time to A Hudak government could appoint a right-wing arbitrator come. You’ll be hearing a lot more with the absolute power to get rid of our job security and about these challenges in the weeks allow part-time Operators. It would be a disaster for both and months ahead, especially if you Maintenance and Transportation members. attend membership meetings. Here’s a We must join with other unions and do all that we can to summary: prevent a Tory government. Our best bet is to help turn Collective Agreement existing Liberal seats in Toronto into NDP seats. We have already identified vulnerable Liberal seats. An NDP minority Our Number One job as a union this year is to negotiate government is a real possibility and would definitely be our the best possible collective agreement for our members. best bet, especially when it comes to appointing arbitrators The nature of how we negotiate has changed dramatically and stopping privatization. since the election of Mayor Ford in 2010 led to the denial (continued on page 22) of our right to strike by a provincial Liberal government that was scared of the mythical “Ford Nation.” Sure, we can sit in a room and talk with management all we want, we just can’t use our labour and skills as a bargaining tool. Going IT’S A FACT! to binding arbitration is risky because we don’t know who will be the arbitrator or what his or her instructions, if any, The Benefits of being a member will be from the government. So we try to avoid arbitration. of ATU Local 113. #1 in a series. But if management wants to roll the dice in that way, there’s How do you get one dollar to turn into nothing we can do about it. It’s a tricky situation that will nearly $1300? Be a member of Local 113. require hard work, tough decisions and complete cooperation of the Executive Board. We cannot afford division within For every dollar in dues you deposited either the leadership or the membership. If we don’t stick in the union from 2005 to 2014, together, management will stick it to us. Solidarity will be as you’ve received an additional $31.50 important as ever, although for different reasons. in wage increases over that same period. (Average of all bargaining unit Ontario Election members). A spring Ontario general election seems almost certain. Some may think those raises would have The outcome is anybody’s guess at this point. A minority happened without the union. Check out Liberal, NDP or Conservative government are all possibilities. the wages of non-union transit workers A majority government seems unlikely but is still possible. in North America today. (In Europe, A majority Conservative government would be a disaster virtually all transit workers are unionized, for workers. Tory Leader Tim Hudak wants to be a “Good except for in the United Kingdom, home of Ole Boy” to the corporations and turn our province into privatization). Many non-union workers PRESIDENT’S REPORT Alabama North. He just loves the way U.S. Conservatives make less than half what TTC unionized have rendered unions powerless through the deliberately members are paid, for the same work. On misnamed “Right to Work” laws. A serious threat? Can Hudak average the difference in wages between win a majority? Maybe not this year, but if the Tories get a union and non-union urban transit new leader who has more appeal, a Tory majority could be wages is over 30 per cent. And that’s possible in the following election, which might come soon if just the wages. Union-won benefits, there is another minority government. Remember that until especially pensions, are very superior to 1985 the Tories ruled Ontario for 42 straight years. non-union benefits. 4 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014 Privatized rail service costs more By Ian Fellows t is now clear that the Toronto Transit Commission, the City regardless of the evidence exists not only in Toronto, but Iof Toronto, and Metrolinx are attacking Local 113 through around the world. their drive to privatize and contract out transit services. As the Taking a step back, the study’s findings draw into question Local continues to fight for its members, it is useful to look at the orthodox view that the privatization of industries leads to what has happened elsewhere when public transit has been greater efficiency and boosts growth. As unions in the UK have privatized. A recent study by the United Kingdom’s Office of observed, the government’s decision to privatize in the face of Rail Regulation has shown that a publicly owned and operated the cost savings created by the publicly owned and operated rail line costs taxpayers less than privately operated lines. service may amount to nothing more than an ideological In a telling piece of history, the government had been forced to decision to privatize for privatization’s sake. take over the service when a private contractor abandoned the Studies such as this should be given far greater attention service mid-contract. This would have been bad enough, but in in Canada, particularly at a time where governments are spite of this, the public service relies on government subsidies considering further privatization of transit. In the UK, at for only one percent of its operational funding, in contrast least, the facts about the efficiency of public versus private to the UK’s other rail franchise, a contracted out, privatized transit have brought the pro-privatization rhetoric under service which receives thirteen percent of its funding from scrutiny although to date it has not led to less privatization. Governments continue to storm ahead in their campaign to privatize as much as they can. With the Toronto Transit Commission and Metrolinx seeking to privatize core maintenance services and transfer ownership of new lines such as the Eglinton Crosstown to the provincial level, we must be steadfast and united in our opposition. We must stand together in favour of high quality, efficient publicly operated transit and must ensure that politicians and bureaucrats are not allowed to mislead the public about the savings to be found in their campaign to contract out.

Ian Fellows has provided legal counsel to Local 113 for many years and is regarded as one of the very best union-side labour lawyers in According to a study revealed by a major British newspaper, British passengers on Ontario. He studies transit privatization very closely, especially in the the privatized railways pay up to ten times the fares charged by publicly-owned and United Kingdom and, of course, Canada. operated railways in other parts of Europe for the same distance. The taxpayer- subsidized profits of the private UK railways are staggering, so passengers pay twice - as users and as taxpayers. This is the result of Thatcherism, which holds that the private sector is more efficient than the public sector. How do Local 113 wages compare government subsidies. The average state subsidy for all rail to other Canadians? lines in the UK is thirty-two percent. The publicly operated We don’t need to tell you what your own hourly system provides cost effective service that far exceeds the wage is because you know it, down to the penny, privately held lines. right? But you probably don’t know how you Astonishingly, despite finding that the publicly funded service compare with other Canadian income earners. The is a good deal for taxpayers, the government’s Transport following table includes all occupations. Secretary has announced that the state will be returning the Males...... $25.42 rail line to the private sector in February 2015. The Minister of Females...... $21.85 State has attempted to justify the re-privatization on the basis Full-time...... $25.20 of poor punctuality figures; however, those figures demonstrate that the publicly operated service’s punctually is nearly Part-time...... $16.59 identical to that on private lines operated by large multinational Source: Livingin-Canada.com corporations. It appears that the steadfast desire to privatize PRIVATIZATION NEWS PRIVATIZATION 5 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113 Who would you trust to protect your job and your pension? Kevin Morton his issue of On The Move is largely That’s not the case, however, with the Ontario Municipal Secretary- Tdevoted to politics because of the Employees’ Retirement System (OMERS), the pension fund Treasurer events that will take place this year. that covers most city employees in Ontario. OMERS has Members who believe that it doesn’t problems – funding problems. Which is why the Liberal matter which party gets elected are government wants to get its hands on the TTC fund and roll it dead wrong. You work hard your whole into OMERS. This will take some pressure off OMERS but will life to build a good home for you and do nothing for us. In fact, it will endanger our pension rights! your family and with election of one Think that can’t happen? Look at Alberta, where the BAD government (remember MIKE Conservative government has simply passed a law to “reform” HARRIS) they take it all away. public sector pensions. Early retirement is being discouraged. If you think this is an exaggeration, you’re wrong. Let’s start Benefits are being reduced. No negotiations were held with with your pension. Thanks to your union, the TTC pension is the affected unions. The changes will be imposed by the in great shape. That’s because the UNION holds four of the Alberta government, just like our right to strike was abolished eight Directors’ positions and the TTC can’t make any pension by the Liberal government here with the stroke of a pen. The decisions without our agreement. As a result of the union’s only thing stopping the Ontario Liberal government from primary concern, protecting our members’ pensions, we are following Alberta’s lead is that they do not have a majority at 100% FUNDED on a Going Concern Basis. Your pension is Queen’s Park and the NDP would NEVER allow a government secure! to steal workers’ pensions. (continued on page 6) A letter to our most famous Collector: George Robitaille

Manny Sforza ear Brother George, press conference, crazily Executive DI hope there’s no media where threatened to kill someone Vice-President you are, just nice weather, beautiful you obviously disliked, scenery and good feelings, earned from shown up drunk in public a lifetime of doing the right thing and (often) and have fired off contributing to your society. Because libelous and outrageous you would not believe what has claims about reporters happened in our city since you passed who are just doing their George Robitaille: Saved a life in 1995 in late 2010 because of your heart jobs. And instead of being while on the job. 15 years later, nodded off reviled and made the brunt while on heavy medication. How will he be condition. remembered? of everyone’s complaints The stress of being ridiculed and berated around the world no about public sector workers and their unions, you, George doubt contributed to your early farewell. You paid a high price Robitaille, would have been defended, even celebrated, by a for that single picture of you dozing off on a Saturday night large part of Toronto’s population. at the little-used McCowan Station. Here in Local 113, we OFFICER REPORTS all greatly admired the way you handled the situation – with You see, we’ve developed this weird double standard for job dignity, apologizing not just to the public but also to your performance and responsibility. Many, (many!) of the same brothers and sisters in ATU for “letting them down.” people who demanded that you be fired for your heart drug induced catnap, now have no problem whatsoever with the George, if that had happened today, and you were Mayor Mayor doing all those things listed above, sometimes while Ford, you could have been fast asleep in that picture, holding hanging out with criminals. And the polls show support for a crack pipe, a near-empty bottle of vodka in plain view and him still running over 40 per cent. “So what? He’s human! a half-dozen or so spliffs rolled up and ready to be lit. You could then have lied about all this, insulted your wife at a (continued on page 6) 6 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014 SFORZA: A double standard for public service and workplace conduct

(continued from page 5) Local 113 Executive Vice- President Manny Sforza gets Big deal. At least he’s not a lefty and he’s saved the city a lot ejected from City Council of money. Besides, it’s all a media plot.” Chamber’s public gallery. During a wild scene at Council So, George: do you think 40 per cent of Torontonians who saw last fall, Mayor Ford and his that one picture of you would have said: “Hey, give the guy brother Doug walked around a break! It’s a really boring job. He’s on medication. What’s the chamber and taunted opponents in the gallery Doug the huge deal?” Not really, eh? Your 30 years of flawless Ford then aimed his insults at service to the TTC was very seldom mentioned. The fact that Councillor Raymond Cho, who had said that Rob Ford had created two trains, “ A crazy train and a gravy train of you were publicly recognized for saving the life of a Wheel- his own.” Sforza yelled out “Bully!” and Council Speaker Frances Nunziata ordered Trans passenger in 1995 was leaked out by a journalist. You him removed. As he was being escorted out by security, Sforza continued to yell: “I certainly didn’t talk about it. have more right to be in here than Doug Ford does, he is a bully. Why don’t you have security remove him!” As the picture above was taken, Manny was loudly scolding Mayor Ford, however, can’t stop talking about how wonderful Doug Ford: “You’re a bully! Your brother is a bully and people of Toronto are sick and tired of it!” The gallery burst into a prolonged, thunderous applause and loud jeering he is and how great are his accomplishments. But like his at the Fords as Sforza left the chamber. countless lies about his behaviour while on duty, there is no substance to his constant self-congratulation. His claim of accountable for attendance, performance, customer service, saving the city a billion dollars has been debunked so many drug and alcohol use and so on. We’re even accountable times even he has stopped saying it. The land transfer tax when we’re off duty and in uniform. We can be disciplined is still with us. We’re deeper in debt as a city. Our taxes are for a number of reasons: buying alcohol, seeming intoxicated, higher than ever. Our services have been cut. Our transit and so on. system is so stressed that it’s time to import some of those We may disagree with management on some rules that seem white-gloved Tokyo subway pushers to squeeze a few more arbitrary but we’ve got no problem with very high standards onto the system. of conduct. We believe in responsible public service, George, maybe you are thinking that the standards for especially where it concerns public safety. We recognize that job performance and public service have been modified there must be limits on personal behaviour. We just think downward by the Mayor’s example. The answer is no, those limits should apply to everyone on the public payroll. because of that double standard thing. Nothing much Including His Worship. has changed for us since you left. We at the TTC are still Rest in peace, George. You’ve earned it.

MORTON: Our jobs at stake because we lost the right to strike (continued from page 5) We would have no recourse then! We can’t strike, (the In Parliament, the Harper Conservative’s intend to chop two LIBERAL GOVERNMENT took it away) remember? In terms years’ worth of Old Age Security benefits off everyone. Right of labour relations, the TTC will be run like Wal-Mart. This is now you are eligible for OAS at age 65. The Conservatives already the case with our unions in many U.S. cities. want to claw back this benefit and make you wait to you’re 67 At the City of Toronto level, the Ford brothers could hold public you’re 67. That’s $13,000 out of your pocket. Still think voting floggings of TTC workers and sell tickets to Ford Nation, who in elections doesn’t matter? would cheer them on. We as a union must help elect a new Okay, your retirement income is at risk because of politics Mayor that respects the rights of all workers and the excellent and the party the gets elected.. What about your job? In job they do for our City. Ontario, both the Liberals and the Conservatives are in love There will be two elections this year. A provincial election is with privatization, which they call “public-private partnerships” likely to be held in the spring and in October we’ll elect a (P3s). The new Eglinton Crosstown LRT is being set up as a Mayor and Council. If you care about the future, think hard P3 and unless things change due to an election, the 500 or so about who you would trust to protect your job, your pension, Maintenance jobs for the Eglinton line will be done by private your family’s health care, the education of your children and companies, not TTC employees. the public services that have made Toronto and Canada one The job protection we now have against contracting out could of the world’s best places to live. be torn out of our collective bargaining agreement by an VOTE ACCORDINGLY! OFFICER REPORTS arbitrator appointed by a new anti-union Ontario government. 7 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113 We cannot afford to ‘sleepwalk’ into further job loss Frank Grimaldi s you know 2014 is a contract trend to continue. The labour movement was founded on the Assistant Ayear. These negotiations are not principle that an honest day’s work deserves an honest day’s Business Agent going to be easy. I’m hoping that pay. Contracting out is an attempt by employers to get more membership will give the Executive work for less pay. Transportation Board a mandate to Save Jobs and We must negotiate an agreement that protects the jobs and improve working conditions. Tough wages of our current members and present a Memorandum decisions need to be made. We of Agreement to them. Let the Membership decide whether to cannot afford to sleep walk into the accept the offer or go to the arbitrator. loss of further jobs. As most of you I look forward to working with my Transportation Board in the know 200 jobs have been contracted coming years. Some have experience; others will get a taste out already. We cannot allow this of what negotiations are all about. Contracting out and negotiations our main concerns Scott Gordon would like to start off by extending Contract Negotiations if necessary. Assistant I my appreciation to the rest of the Your Maintenance Board is also continuing to work on Business Agent Maintenance Board, the wardens and avenues to provide more educational opportunities for our all of our shop stewards for all their Maintenance members up to and including additional internal programs, hard work and dedication over this made available only to our employees, as well as increasing past year. We have faced some very the number of apprenticeship positions. difficult challenges over the last 11 months and I believe that it has been our ability to adapt to ever changing Streetcar Operator Lauds Wedding circumstances that has allowed us The following email was to be successful in resolving each sent recently to Local and every issue that has been placed 113: before us. The fact that the total number of grievances that My name is Joseph have reached mediation levels has dropped by over 30% is a Assenza and I got married direct reflection of this. this past Saturday to Stephanie Stranges. After

The key issues that remain directly in front of us at this ASSISTANT BUSINESS AGENT REPORTS the ceremony in East point in time are Contracting Out and Contract Negotiations. York, we headed to the Gladstone Hotel to take our wedding We will remain focused on these two issue’s until both are pictures. As we stepped out of the limo at approximately resolved and I believe that the opportunity to resolve both 2:45 pm, a TTC streetcar was heading westbound on Queen of these issues will present itself over the next few months St. W. The male driver stopped in front of the hotel, opened as it is in the best interest of both the Union and the TTC his doors and asked, “Are you guys here for a wedding?” to put these issue’s behind us.. It is imperative that our We replied yes. He then said: “On behalf of the Toronto membership stand TOGETHER beside the Executive Board Transit Commission and the City of Toronto, I would like to throughout this process and educate themselves on the areas congratulate you on this momentous occasion!” He then of concern and the avenues that must be taken in order to be proceeded to ring his bell down Queen St. W. successful throughout the bargaining process, the whole time We had a busy and at some points, stressful day. However, remembering that what we have today was not given to us, that courteous and gentlemanly act by one of your union but fought long and hard for over the last one hundred plus members was a huge bright point in our day and our years with long strikes and many other sacrifices. wedding. Your Maintenance Board is currently trying to make the On behalf of myself, my wife, and my wedding party, I would necessary changes to outdated Maintenance Regulations like to thank Local 113, the TTC, and that particular streetcar operator for giving us a fond and warm memory of our and grievance procedures. We have engaged in discussions wedding day. with the Company on these matters and will take them into 8 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014 Political action is essential By Tony Ultimo, Director, Local 113 Political Action Committee

uch has changed during the 12 years I have been a we can achieve and maintain social and economic progress Mmember of the Political Action Committee. that benefits all. The labour movement is facing its toughest challenges as Local 113 and our leader, Bob Kinnear, have earned a the Federal Progressive Conservative government is moving reputation as a union committed to political action to help forward with its austerity agenda. We only need to look secure a better future for us and the next generation. Let’s back to the mid-1990s that saw the Provincial Progressive keep that up! Conservatives in power implement the so-called “Common Sense Revolution.” This political ideology was centered around re-structuring and downsizing public services. Today, we see the same drive towards precarious employment and WATCH FOR IT! the contracting out of public services. We are facing daunting times as labour today stands to lose the many gains it has made over the past century. These gains did not come without struggles by workers. During the post-war years, workers and their unions were able to win legislation to enjoy better wages, benefits and working conditions. In Ontario, the Hudak Conservatives promise to introduce legislation that will weaken unions and their role in the workplace. As unionized workers, we make up a significant part of the middle class. We share common values. We believe a worker should have job security, a pension and benefits. The next generation should have the very same benefits and opportunities we now enjoy. There is a growing realization that these values are now at risk. We only need to look to the south to see 24 of 50 states now have “right-to-work” laws, clever code words for no unions or, at best, weak unions. The essence of democracy allows for worker participation and requires a commitment to elect those who will shape In a push to grow the Political Action Committee labour policies and laws. Over the next year, we may face two in advance of the expected provincial general elections, but one is certain and that is the municipal election election, Local 113 Stewards will be distributing on October 27, 2014. leaflets that explain the reasons to get involved. In response to these very challenging times, our Local, led The leaflet has a tear-off panel members should by Bob Kinnear and the Executive Board, are committed fill out and return to their Steward. This signals to changing the political landscape. The Political Action your willingness to get involved but does NOT Committee has been increased to play a larger role. There obligate you to do any particular thing during an election if you are not available. You will be is experience on the PAC and a new level of energy and contacted and asked to be part of a campaign, commitment. come to a rally or donate small amounts to an Our participation in elections is vital. Positive change cannot ATU-endorsed candidate. ($100 donation gets you be achieved without it. If we sit on the sidelines as spectators, $75 in tax credits so costs you only $25). we will lose and so will our children. With time and through our votes, we can collectively achieve what we cannot as mere individuals. History shows us that if we work together, POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE 9 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113 Make politicians fear the “ATU PAC Attack”

PAC MEMBERS (PICTURED ON FRONT COVER) Tony Barbosa Plant Department

Tony Ultimo, Director Duncan Shop Patrick McLaughlin Bloor Danforth Subway

Joe Strazzeri Roncesvalles Carhouse Nick Papaevangelou Plant Subway

Eleanor McKnight Collectors David Arnot Wilson Operator

Peter De Angelis Duncan Shop Judi Wert Bloor-Danforth Subway

Tony Meglio RSEM Joe De Gabrielis Wilson Subway

Cathlena Mason Eglinton Bus Sam Adamo Plant

Frank Cosentino Duncan Shop Alex Amm Plant

Hindi Marges Clerical Lina Burns Revenue Ops

Mustaq Mohammed Wilson Garage Vince Picchiello Duncan Shop

Mario Jurcic Davisville Carhouse Carlos Santos Roncesvalles Operator

Jorge Medeiros Harvey Shop Gordon Keith Duncan Shop

Avni Hyseni Mt. Dennis Operator PAC MEMBERS NOT PICTURED ON FRONT COVER

Peter Gullo Wilson Operator Frank Cosentino Paul D’Oppido Revenue Ops Lionel Extross Lionel Extross Birchmount Operator Hindi Marges Cosimo Lacaria Harvey Shop Mario Jurcic Mike D’Agostino M&P – Toronto York Spadina Elyse Mckeown Subway Extension Andrew Klamann Patten Vince Picchiello ACT TOGETHER! It’s the only way Massimo Gallo Jason Da Silva Wilson Bus we win what’s fair! Max Matharu Revenue Ops Joe DeGabrielis POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPOLITICAL ACTION

Nelson Felgueiras Landscaping

Vince Perulli Greenwood Shop GET ACTIVE! JOIN US! Enrico Signore Subway Maintenance The Political Action Committee was formed by the Tony Maglio St. Clair RSEM following 40 members from across the property. They have already held several planning and Sybil Brannan Birchmount Operator training meetings and have participated in by- election campaigns and labour movement political Elyse McKeown M&P Malvern Garage events. Join them and make Local 113 a dominant Tim Brumwell YUS and respected political force in Toronto. Don’t just hope change will happen. Make it happen! Massimo Gallo Wilson Carhouse 10 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014 Paul Mees 1961-2013 Privatization Foe ne of the world’s most effective and respected defenders in challenging state transit decisions that were wasteful and Oof publicly-owned and operated urban transit died last poorly thought through. summer at the age of 52, a victim of cancer. Internationally-renowned public transit expert Dr. Paul Mees of Australia was Dr. Paul Mees did much in his short life to energize Australia’s extensively interviewed for the 2010 Local 113 video about the hazards of P3s. The public transit movement, particularly in his home city of video can be viewed on YouTube.com under the search term Keep TTC Public. Melbourne. But it was outside of his native land where his ideas had the most influence. And it was in Toronto that many In the mid-1990s, Mees spent much time in Toronto of his insights on how to best design a transit system were researching his 1996 PhD thesis, a comparison of the Toronto born. and Melbourne transit systems. Ironically, his thesis held the Mees was born in 1961 and began a promising career as a TTC in high regard just before the Mike Harris government sent lawyer in the early 1980s. It was when he began legal work the TTC into a tailspin by withdrawing hundreds of millions of for the Public Transit Users’ Association (PTUA) in Melbourne, dollars a year in provincial support. however, that he found his true life’s work. He was president After attaining his PhD, Mees began teaching at the University of the PTUA from 1992 to 2001, where he made political of Melbourne in 1998. He was fearless in his criticism of foes by repeatedly embarrassing transit authorities with his political neglect of transit and the poor planning decisions research and commentary on the State of Victoria’s road, rail that unsuccessfully addressed the problems caused by that and urban planning systems. His legal training was very useful neglect. He launched several lawsuits to stop some of these decisions. In 2008 he was demoted by the University for Paul Mees on P3s making controversial comments about state government figures, even though by then he had become an international In the Local 113 video, Keep TTC Public, Dr. Mees was transit authority. His work provided the basis for the European scornful of the idea of public-private partnerships (P3s). Union’s 2005 HiTrans project on improving public transport in “P3 is the most recent brand name that’s been invented medium-sized cities and towns. He was also a member of the to sell privatization to people. They had to come up with International Advisory Council for Paris’s New Mobility Agenda new names so that they could say: ‘Yes, privatization failed Project. before, but this is a new form. This time for sure…this one He resigned from the University of Melbourne and began will definitely work.’” teaching at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, a Mees also points out that the public subsidy for the university similar to Toronto’s Ryerson University, where he privately-run Melbourne, Australian transit system is four focused on planning decision support tools for multimodal times that of the taxpayer subsidy of the publicly-run TTC, urban transport systems, and improvements to urban public even though the Melbourne system carries one-third fewer transport planning in Australia. passengers than the TTC. A consistent theme in Mees’s research was that privatization To see the entire 16-minute video, which has been shown of public transit did not work, at least not for transit users and to great acclaim at transit and urban affairs conferences taxpayers. This was an important issue in Melbourne, where around the world, go to YouTube.com and search for “Keep the local transit system had been fully privatized in 1999. Mees TTC Public.” The video is in two parts and Mees is in both had warned against it but was ignored by transit planning parts. Watch “Keep TTC Public Part 1” first. Then click on the authorities, who publicly claimed that the private sector would upper left square that appears when Part 1 finishes. That deliver better service at a reduced cost. The experiment was a will take you to Part 2, which has an inspiring ending. disaster, as Mees had predicted. Service was cut, fares went up, taxpayer subsidies skyrocketed. Maintenance became REMEMBERING PAUL MEES REMEMBERING PAUL 11 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113 Australian transit expert who studied the TTC explained the inevitable failure of “Public Private Partnerships” in Local 113’s acclaimed video: Keep TTC Public. so bad that system outages became a regular feature of Melbourne life. The original private operator (Veolia, which Local 113 Memorial to Paul Mees now runs much of York Region Transit just north of Toronto) was kicked out and a new one brought in. Mees warned once Upon learning of the again that the problem was not with the individual private untimely passing of operator. The problem was that the private sector’s interest in Dr. Mees, Bob Kinnear maximizing profits would always be at odds with the public’s contacted the Melbourne need for a reliable system that would attract more riders and Public Transit Users’ thus reduce road congestion, motor vehicle pollution and Association to offer, on other economic problems. Once again, Mees was proven right behalf of Local 113, five as there was little or no improvement by the second private thousand Australian operator. This helped prevent the privatization of transit systems dollars for a project or in other Australian cities. Darren Peters and Trevor Carroll of award to memorialize the South Morang and Mernda Rail Alliance were the first winners of Mees, who had declined to Mees and the Local 113 anti-privatization campaign the Paul Mees Award for Transport take any payment for his In 2010, ATU Local 113 conducted a major public campaign Advocacy. The annual award was interview. established by the Public Transport against transit privatization during that year’s municipal Users’ Association of Melbourne with “We are very grateful election, which ended with Rob Ford as mayor and a raft of funding from ATU Local 113. to Dr. Mees for his very right-leaning councillors. articulate contribution to the privatization debate,” The Executive Board and the Membership approved an all-out Kinnear told the PTUA. His name and his achievements campaign, which featured television, newspaper and TTC ads deserve to live on and we want to help that happen.” and a short, powerful video that showed the failure of transit With equal gratitude, the PTUA established the Paul Mees privatization around the world. The video was narrated by Award for Public Transport Advocacy. The first winners well-known Canadian actor Eric Peterson but the “star” was were Trevor Carroll and Darren Peters, past and present Dr. Paul Mees. Local 113 hired a video crew in Melbourne to leaders of the South Morang and Mernda Rail Alliance. interview Mees, who explained in plain language the persistent South Morang and Mernda are suburban communities failure of transit privatization. At one point, Mees says he north of Melbourne, on the south coast of Australia. PTUA was “astonished” to learn that some people in Toronto were President Tony Morton presented the award at the PTUA’s advocating privatization as a cure for the TTC’s problems. 2013 Annual General Meeting. “Do not make the same mistakes we made here in Melbourne,” he said. “Whatever problems you may be having with the TTC now will only be made worse through privatization.” expensive P3 failures like the increasingly expensive Highway 407, the billion dollar E-health failure, the Ornge medivac REMEMBERING PAUL MEES Premier and Minister of Transportation ignore warnings helicopter scandal, the Brampton Hospital fiasco, the gas plant In 2013, Bob Kinnear held separate private meetings with money pits that will never produce a single watt of electricity, Premier Kathleen Wynne and Transportation Minister Glen and dozens of other, less-publicized P3 failures. Murray about the planned Eglinton Crosstown P3 . At the end “It is shocking that the Premier and the Minister do not have 16 of the meetings, he personally handed them a DVD copy of the minutes to listen to an internationally-renowned transit expert Keep TTC Public video. before making huge, billion-dollar decisions that will affect Neither Wynne nor Murray have commented on the video, Toronto for the next century,” says Kinnear. not even mentioned it in subsequent meetings with Kinnear. “It is doubly sad that Dr. Mees is no longer with us to explain Probably because they never watched it. Like many (most!) in person the undeniable hazards of transit P3s. But we will politicians, they don’t want mere facts to get in the way of their continue to spread his advice to all who will listen.” ideology-based decisions, a tendency that has led to multiple 12 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014 Across the Board Mark Bertoia calculated attack. We are absolutely “Better to fight for something than live Bloor-Danforth Subway/SRT/Eglinton focused and more committed in working for nothing.” Wheel-Trans together for our members and this - George S. Patton I am wishing every Local. YES, this Maintenance board is Plant’s biggest challenge is Contracting member and their working together, we have no choice out. I will have to prioritize more of my loved ones all the and we are working even better than attention on this upcoming contract. My best, in health and ever before. Stewards are all on board and ready to wealth, for 2014. “If everyone is thinking alike, someone fight. The Stewards will play a bigger A special thank- isn’t thinking.” role for me to free up more of my time you to Jody Kerr, Donald Macleod and - General George Patton Jr. so I can direct my attention on our John Bethune. The team chosen by I value everyone’s opinion and fear no upcoming contract and the upcoming our President to head up the upcoming challenge that’s presented to me, I will government elections. This Contract contract is a very strong team. They will not back down, I know I will upset some could be a game changer for Plant. serve us well. of us along the way but changes need In the early part of the new year, I will be The upcoming elections, city, province to be made. I was elected to do what’s on property as much as I can to inform and federal are very, very important right for you and this local. as many members as I can regarding from a union perspective. Please vote. The TTC wants changes and they will the upcoming contract and what our The Union is you. Empower yourself change with us involved or without us. group will be facing. I’m hoping we can with knowledge. Stand up for your I understand the changing landscape come together and make a difference. rights in the workplace, exercise your and know that we must change or Changing language in our Maintenance rights in a legal just way, and within the this local will suffer for many years Seniority Regs and our CBA to insure collective agreement. Know your rights to come. Change is hard sisters and our seniority is protected is key with under the Ontario Health and Safety Act. brothers but decisions must be made this changing landscape in our future. Talk to your safety representatives. Your to secure the Maintenance operation We can not afford to lose our right to co-chairs are very dedicated and hard for us today and tomorrow. Sacrifices our Seniority. I have already started working. from all our members will be asked but changes to the master sign-up rules I am looking forward to providing the we need to come together and support but more language needs to be change. membership with the servitude now and those brothers and sisters that have We can not disqualify our members for in the future. the most to lose. Not one group or one advancements because of strict out classification is better then the next, dated rules. The Maintenance Board Sandro Bonadies we need to unite and defend those has already entered into discussion Plant and Rail Infrastructure members who might be on the chopping regarding apprenticeship, grooming our Sisters and Brothers, block. own to fill in vacancies instead of hiring What a year 2013 “There is no victory at bargain off the street. This involves a lot of work turned out to be! This basement prices.” but it can be done. Maintenance Board - Dwight D. Eisenhower Let’s make 2014 a year we will all be took off running and proud of. we haven’t stop We are one Union. We will fight together, yet. We have taken on the difficult Win or Lose. Tomorrow will come and issues and the battles are still coming our future local 113 members will be with a force that this local hasn’t proud of the tough decision we all have - 2014 - experienced for years. We have faced made today and they will benefit from th our scarifies for years. Get out and get This year marks the 115 year constant threats of contracting out, a of continuous operation of ATU triple Master Sign Up/ bump that this involved, our future is under attack. Maintenance Board hasn’t seen in Support the Executive Board and your Local 113. Founded in 1899, we twenty years and the constant pressure Shop Stewards, WE CAN WIN. are one of Canada’s oldest and of a changing political landscape which most successful local unions. is coming at us like a well planned and ACROSS THE BOARD 13 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113

Paul Callaghan John Di Nino Maintenance - At-Large Equipment “E” Carhouses Phil Horgan First off I would like to Firstly I would like to Equipment “A” Garages take my hat off to the express my sincere We’ve accomplished other Maintenance appreciation to all of many things in 2013. Board Members who the sisters and Here is a recap of the ran the Master brothers for their whirlwind year in the Sign-Ups. There cooperation in the Maintenance seems to be only a few hiccups falling recent re- alignment of our workforce! Department. out from the multi department sign-ups. The recent Master sign-ups in all of the As you recall, we had early negotiations Of course anything that was a violation maintenance departments followed by to prevent any more contracting out. of our Maintenance Regulations is being the cross maintenance bump was a And, we had an unprecedented Master grieved by the Board. Well done huge undertaking with many of our Sign-Up/Cross-Bump as a result of the Brothers! members having to make many difficult loss of the Bus Service Line. This Maintenance Board has been decisions as to where the workplace Considering the number of employees working together now for almost a year would now take them and once again who were involved in the process, and I like what I see. We are working in we all took on the challenges and things went quite well. We had a few the best interests of our members by proved to the employer that we are all small glitches that are now resolved. being interchangeable with one another. professionals and take are employment Most of the displaced employees have Our grievances are being shared with seriously. I would also like to take this now signed up or bumped into other the Board Members who may know the opportunity to thank all of our Shop jobs. The few who were unable to sign case best, while the others backfill. Stewards for their tireless efforts in helping make the Master Sign-ups a up at the time will be placed within the A lot of our grievances appear to be smooth transition and helping our system shortly. In the end, we came out falling on deaf ears of Management, members with the stresses of this with a surplus of available jobs. but remember what the Fram Oil restructuring. One of the prominent issues within Filter Mechanic said, “You can pay the Maintenance Department is me now or you can pay me later”. The Maintenance Board had many training. Brother Vaccaro and I have More and more grievances are being challenges as well in working trough been working diligently at securing settled at Mediation and Arbitration any and every change that was more training opportunities for our due to a third party involvement. If the proposed by the employer and trying members. By securing more training company continues to say no to us the to reduce the impact to our members, for Maintenance, it allows semi-skilled Maintenance Board will have no choice and I am proud to say that we worked employees to move up into positions but say “See ya in Arb”. together with a common goal in mind and that was all of you our members! that hold more responsibility thus Contract talks will soon be opening up in become higher-paying positions. We have new challenges and obstacles the next few weeks. It is so critical that We believe it will also dissuade the to overcome in the near future with we try to negotiate a contract that’s fair company from contracting out. for us and to eliminate Contracting Out trying to negotiate a new collective I am happy and proud to say that for the next 3 years. This Maintenance agreement this year, but I am confident over the last year, many of you have Board is ready for the task to try to that your Maintenance Board will asked me for guidance with regards to accomplish this so that the Maintenance continue to work together like we have so far regardless of where we upgrading your education and skills. I workers will be proud of a contract BOARD ACROSS THE encourage the membership to continue which is in their best interest. all came from, keeping our members best interest front and centre. We are this approach to your future and the Now that 2014 is here, let’s take this committed to working for the good future of this local. opportunity to put past differences and well being of All of our members Another issue with the automotive behind us - at work and at home - and and help ensure that we are all treated section is some confusion regarding work together to make this year one of equally and fairly for the good of this vacation dates and sick benefits. our best ever. great Local! Remain loyal and united Page 39 of the Collective Agreement, and we will prevail. under the heading VACATION 14 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014

SELECTION, states: modernize the TTC, however, their day- “Employees absent through covered Carmen Lint to-day business is persistently being illness or injury and entitled to sick Birchmount/Malvern delivered with an archaic approach. We benefits in November and December We are now heading are asked to work under consistently and who have unused vacation into contract high pressure conditions that are not entitlement, will be required to use negotiations. acceptable. This is a direct result of up their vacations before the end Proposals were due management covering the fact that of the year (does not apply to those November 15th to the they are not able to achieve their own on Workers’ Compensation). Such Union Office. expectations. This directly impacts the employees who have been forced Contracting Out will be a major issue. overall morale amongst all of us. onto vacation will receive holiday pay Hopefully we are able to settle the So I ask the question – how do you for holidays listed in paragraph 1 of contract without going to binding expect so much from us, when you Statutory Designated Holidays to which arbitration. offer so little in return? A modernized they are entitled that occur during the Upcoming elections are very important, approach to conducting business can forced vacation”. be informed and exercise your right only be achievable once management An employee who suffers an illness or to vote. Utilize the advance polls if makes an effort to understand and injury that requires hospitalization of necessary. These and all elections are meet the changing needs of our two (2) work days during a scheduled important and affect all our lives and the economy, our family life, and the needs vacation period of at least one lives of our families. of us as individuals. I am challenging week, will upon proper proof of such I believe a major issue that the company management to listen, accommodate, hospitalization and compliance with needs to address is STRESS. Many and be fair. The result will be a change all other SBA provisions, be entitled members express to me they are in morale, one of the biggest topics with to reschedule the vacation subject to stressed and that it is affecting their operators today. I will always support the approval of their supervisor. The health and family life. This is becoming better working conditions and will never Commission will consider an employee’s more and more common. Uncaring stop fighting until we get there. I believe request to re-schedule vacation due management is part of the problem together, sisters and brothers, we will to illness if it does not meet the above by not granting vacation changes or achieve this goal. requirement. Any rescheduled vacation allowing leaves. When this happens a The contract negotiations are coming must be utilized in the year it was member in the future will book off sick. up and I have been asked by Frank granted. Management then wonders why there is Grimaldi to be part of the negotiating The 2013 Vacation Regulations for a high absenteeism rate. team. This is an experience that I am Garages, Lakeshore and Shops Take care and look after one another. looking forward to. I believe this is going to be one of the toughest contracts These regulations are reviewed on a Frank Malta thus far. This company is going to be yearly basis and adjustments are made Wilson Bus/Wilson Subway sending some great challenges our way, when necessary. According to this year’s I would like to take and I believe contracting services out regulations: this opportunity to is on their agenda. I am ready to work wish everyone a all “ALL VACATION AND/OR LIEU DAY hard and do whatever it takes to get it the best for the New SELECTIONS MUST BE MADE BY done right – in the best interest of our Year. I would also like OCTOBER 1, 2013 AND TAKEN BY YEAR members. END”(unless you are carrying weeks to thank the shop I want to conclude by thanking everyone over the following year as outlined in the stewards and safety committee at Wilson division for their support. I Collective Agreement). members at Wilson division for doing a great job in 2013. really enjoy working with you all and will If you have any questions regarding be there anytime, for any issue, with any There are a number of ongoing issues vacation selection/sick benefits, please support a sister or brother requires. contact your Shop Steward. that have yet to be addressed by TTC management and one of these that I want to wish all the members of ATU continues to be at the forefront is our Local 113 all the best for the holiday working conditions. Management is season to you and your families. Have a continually stating that they want to Safe and Happy Holiday!! ACROSS THE BOARD 15 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113

Cliff Piggott but folks ITS REAL. will see if there has been an increase Arrow Road/Mount Dennis Management has shown they want in WSIB injuries related to paper cuts. 2013 was a crazy to attack what they feel is the most LOL. I thought I would add that in as TTC year, with our Mayor vulnerable, which is our maintenance has found a new avenue to attack our and the Ice Storm workers. But, be clear, that’s the START, members isn’t that right @TTCHelps, @ both taking us by if they feel they can get a foot in the bradTTC, @TTCchris, @karenstintz, find surprise. door which they already have but want something better to do! The Collective more, nothing will stop the TTC from No worries folks I’m watching…..LOL! Bargaining Agreement ends March going after Transportation. Tony Vaccaro 31, 2014 and we are working toward We need to stick together. We cannot Hillcrest Complex getting it settled without having to take sacrifice one group for the other. ALL Dear Sisters and it to an arbitrator. One of our biggest our members are an integral part of the brothers of Local 113, concerns with this contract has to be Local and the TTC, we are the best at it has been an the loss of jobs through contracting out. what we do in ALL our jobs. incredible journey for Lost jobs have an impact on everyone On that note the next elections that are everyone to date. We and must be stopped before they have coming also play a role in this and again have a new Chief a negative effect on our benefits and the Conservative agenda is to destroy General Manager who has challenged pensions. Unions, Harper with his anti Union bills, this membership and you have WE have a GREAT pension. Let’s keep it Hudak with right to work legislation and responded admirably in the face of that way. Byford doesn’t need it. He is Ford with privatization of services. We adversity. I want to take this opportunity well paid at the tune of $300,000. So if need to ensure that these governments to say thank you for your dedication you think he cares about whittling away do not get in! pride, valuable contributions and quality at his pension he doesn’t. of workmanship in every department. There is not much more to say on this You continue to amaze all the skeptics On a personal note, time flies by. Mount topic but this, would you rather see that have doubted your abilities we Dennis enters their sixth year and Arrow a $11.25 hr person sweeping in your must continue to show everyone that Road recognized its 25th anniversary. At division NOT contributing to YOUR you are the most valuable asset of the the Arrow Road celebration honouring pension or a Local 113 member making Toronto Transit Commission. this event were past and present a good living wage contributing to YOUR Executive Board Members, Shop pension? I would also like to thank the wardens Stewards and Divisional Management. and all shop stewards for their WE have a GREAT pension let’s keep it dedication and hard work in helping It is an honour and a privilege to serve that what Byford doesn’t need it he is to achieve the level of efficiency and the members of Local 113. well paid at the tune of $300,000.00, outstanding workmanship that comes Rocco Signorile so if you think he cares about whittling with working together as a team. Transportation – At Large away at his pension he doesn’t. We have yet another challenge ahead We are approaching ANY job we lose WE LOSE pension of all of us and that is educating our contract negotiations, contributions. probably the most members on the importance of joining The real “gravy train” is the increase important negotiations the fight against organized labour by in management with $100,000 plus we have faced in the large corporations and the three levels salaries. Just look at the new station history of our Local. of government who threaten our very

masters or whatever they are?? Really existence in earning a decent standard BOARD ACROSS THE We can all speculate of what is coming stations masters?? What’s next Wal- of living. Our forefathers and sisters but be very clear the direction this city Mart greeters with a BIG name tags on have sacrificed lives and there was a and the TTC is going (albeit the “gravy their jacket, remember Byford’s a fan of lot of bloodshed in order to achieve all train” seems to have derailed a bit) the name tags. the rights and benefits we have been tone of the public and the politicians We make a decent living not unfair privileged to enjoy today. federally, provincially and municipally is to what others in our job make in the to contract out. We must all join this movement to GTA, what TTC should do is stop the educate our members and the public; I’m sure our members have heard it management gravy train. Next time I’m to lobbying our neighbours in all of over and over about the attack we face down at Hillcrest I’m sure if I check I 16 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014

our ridings to fund public transit and photo taken just last week of a Contract us and this city. It is despicable. If we keep it public. Let’s join together: stand worker manning a crashgate and as Local 113 members had done half up, stand strong, stand proud, and collecting fares. Undeniable proof of the of what he has done we would be out become a part of history in the labour TTC is taking valuable work hours away of a job. For you that are part of Ford movement. This is our time to shine and from our Members. Nation, please re-think your position, show everyone how important each and We as a Union must be vigilant. If now Tim Hudak has been surprisingly every member of our labour movement you witness any non-union persons quiet on this Rob Ford debacle, where is and the contributions unions have performing tasks that should be done by months back he stood side by side with made to society. This is our fight, our a Member under Local 113, take action! the Mayor. time, our destiny. Let’s make our mark Contact your Board Members or Shop This man is not good for us he is an in history. Stewards. Ask for someone to witness opportunist; he still speaks of messing In closing I hope that your holiday what you have observed, take a photo with our pension siding with OMERS to season was great for you and your and make a note. Our work is OUR work take it over and giving us 40 hours a family and I hope that we all have a and we will take the appropriate action week on our pension. stronger and prosperous 2014. to protect what is rightfully ours. Contract time is near. I hope you submitted John Wales The TTC is planning changes that are your proposals. I would like to see Collectors not to our benefit, they are looking to everyone have a say. It’s yours to exercise. Welcome to the change the agreement that we presently Your vote matters. Don’t waste it starship Andy-B and have. Why would we renegotiate I think this is going to be another intense its endless mission to something we already own? I find their round of negotiations. Hopefully, we will explore new ways to proposals not fully thought out, more not go to binding arbitration, the risks are change the culture of like let’s fly by the seat of our pants and too great. Contracting out seems to always planet TTC. In a world see what happens. Nobody seems to be our thorn of contention. Benefits I think of instant information the crew of the be in charge or has the ability to make is a better way to go. The benefits we Andy-B believes visitors to planet TTC a decisive decision. I am not against have do not go far enough for our diverse cannot read signs like YUS, Bloor/ change but I do not believe in change membership. Our goal; should be 75% to Danforth and Sheppard Line or even for the sake of change. 100% of everything. read a map. So they have toyed with the Well that’s my take on what’s going on. I still like the fact that more members are idea of changing the names to numbers Anthony Watson coming to General Meetings. Local 113 or colours. Line 1 or Red line? I don’t Queensway-Roncesvalles-Russell could and should be the lion in the room. know about you, but I find this to be So an entire year has Everyone should recognize our presence kind of dull. We deserve better, how gone by with things we truly are big and strong. We just need about Line Tic, Line Tac and Line Toe? At going where this to stick together, united. We need to ask least we will not be like every other Union has fought questions, so we all stay completely subway system in the world; tooth and nail to stop informed of all that’s going on in the local. nondescript and bland. Maybe that’s the the Commission from plan; take away our identity, umm that’s The holiday season has come and gone strong arming Local 113. I have learned not going to happen. but that doesn’t mean we have to lose the so much from my Brother Board goodwill and the resolutions to do better How about the proposal for new Members and that’s from both sides, in 2014. The more we act as a true family, uniforms? They come complete with a Maintenance as well. brothers and sisters, the better off we will red rubber nose and a lapel flower that As I said in my earlier comments we all be. sprays water. Great eh? still work well together, still giving each If only the new direction of the TTC was other a heads up on what’s coming our like a TV show and we could rewrite the way. HAVE YOUR SAY! script with a better ending and a better So now onto Rob Ford, wow, the Teflon cast. But it’s not and we can’t. Vote on union issues! man nothing seems to stick to the We are still under the shadow of Mayor of Toronto. For the upcoming Attend Local 113 contracting out our work; it’s no longer elections, next year, I’m hoping we do Membership meetings. just a maintenance issue! We obtained a not forget what this man has done to ACROSS THE BOARD 17 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113 At 105, Robert Ayers was longest living Local 113 member ne hundred and six years ago, in September 1908, maintenance shop. Bob was well-liked and well-regarded at OHenry Ford began the automobile revolution in Detroit by the TTC. World War II intervened, as it did for so many, and Bob producing the first Model T car. The very next month, Bob Ayers woke up one day to learn that he was a mechanic with the was born in the car-less town of Portland, Ontario, near Smith Royal Canadian Air Force. Falls. He grew up there, got married to Mildred there, and “I worked on everything. I had to, we had to keep all the raised a daughter, Dawn, who now lives in Florida. wheels moving,” says Bob. “One single truck in the supply chain can make the difference between success and failure on a mission.” The work was critical and fast-paced, especially when he was stationed in Britain, which was the staging ground for the air demolition of Hitler’s power bases. “We were so busy our work was 50% mechanical and 50% prayer,” smiles Bob. “But we won.” Bob came back from the war into the TTC and worked steadily until he retired in 1973. He lived in the welcoming and pleasant-feeling Villa Care Centre in Midland, north of Barrie. The Centre held a birthday party for him on October 2, 2013.

The Roaring 20s, the Great Depression, World War II and TTC strikes; the 105-year- Last November, Local 113 President Bob Kinnear went to old Bob Ayers had seen it all. He was retired for 40 years, longer than he worked, Midland to visit Ayers, who was very pleased to get the latest when he passed away in January, 2014. version of the Local 113 ball cap from the President. For even a hard-working and ambitious young man like Bob, “As far as we can tell, Robert lived the longest of any Local the lingering Depression made it hard to get steady work until 113 member ever,” said Kinnear. “His was a great story, more “I got lucky and got a job with the TTC” in the late 1930s. Even than a century long.” though he was not a certified mechanic, his problem-solving “His contribution to his country and his city should be mind proved very valuable and his optimistic disposition was a acknowledged and celebrated. He deserved every day of his welcome presence in an often dreary, management-oppressive retirement.”

All in the Local 113 family for 50 years Three generations of the McKeown family have been part of Local 113 and the TTC for half a century. Jim, centre, joined the TTC in 1964. He retired in 1998 as a combine unit driver and cleaner at Birchmount. He NOTABLENEWS AND now lives in Utterson, Ontario. His son, Wayne, left, was hired in 1986 and works as a service person at Eglinton. Elyse, right, Wayne’s daughter, signed on with the TTC in 2011 and is currently a Storeperson at Malvern. Both Wayne and Elyse live in Scarborough. 18 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014 The 2013 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 1,000 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.

Nicole Alessandrini Zoiana Ashley Adesh Bachan Raheim Bailey York University Queen’s University McMaster University York University Kinesiology Music Education Life Sciences Criminology Parent: Enrico Alessandrini Parent: Alrick Ashley Parent: Indarjit Bachan Parent: Dexter Bailey Wilson Division Eglinton Plant HVAC Arrow Road

Kaiten Batta Smaranda Joana Birjovanu Robert Camilleri David Cariati McGill University Wilfred Laurier University Wilfred Laurier University McMaster University Bachelor of Commerce Honors Psychology - B/A Science Business Administration Business (Chartered Accountant) Parent: Sunil Batta Parent: Mihai D. Birjovanu Parent: Joseph Camilleri Parent: Tony Cariati Arrow Road Roncesvalles Plant Arrow Road

Micah Cho Kanva Choksi Nicole Dilisi Nadia Greco Laurentian University University of Waterloo Ryerson University York University Biomedical Biology Physical Sciences Urban & Regional Planning Liberal Arts/Professional Studies Parent: Sung-Sup Choksi Parent: Sameer Choksi Parent: Gus Dilisi Parent: Alfredo Greco Eglinton Mount Dennis Duncan Shop Wilson Subway 2013 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS 19 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113

Paul Greco Laura Green Julia Rae Guido Aqsa Hanif University of Waterloo Ryerson University University of Toronto McMaster University Mathematics Youth & Child Care Worker Life Sciences Environmental & Earth Sciences Parent: Bill Greco Parent: John Green Parent: Corrado Guido Parent: Muhammad Hanif Wheel-Trans Wheel-Trans Wheel-Trans Lakeshore

Laura Harrison Shawn Holmquist Dondre Homer Edward James Hoover Queen’s University Fleming College Humber College University of Toronto Psychology & English HVAC Culinary Management History and Political Science Parent: Merritt Harrison Parent: Mike Holmquist Parent: Daniel Homer Parent: Kenneth Donald Hoover Malvern Division Duncan Shop Arrow Road Birchmount

Kenneth Donald Hoover Louisa Julius Courtney Langille Tyrrell Lewis University of Toronto University of Toronto Ryerson University Queen’s University Computer Science Concurrent Education Bachelor of Technology General Sciences Parent: Kenneth Donald Hoover Parent: Thomas Julius Parent: Shane Langille Parent: Bryan Lewis Birchmount Malvern Division Greenwood Yard Bloor-Danforth SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS 2013

Matthew Mah Renee McPherson Alicia Mendes Marina Pedias Wilfred Laurier University University of Toronto Glendon College McMaster University Bachelor of Business Administration Life Sciences French Studies Business Parent: Jim Mah Parent: Colin McPherson Parent: Jorge Mendes Parent: Anna Pedias Collectors Division Greenwood Carhouse Arrow Road Collectors Division 20 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014

Julie Redemann Jonathan Riccio Rizann Rodrigues Jessica Ruffolo Sheridan College University of Guelph University of Ontario Institute of University of Guelph Art Fundamentals Bachelor of Arts Technology Biological Science Parent: Michael Redemann Parent: Costantino Riccio Health Sciences Parent: Costantino Ruffolo Wilson Division Queensway Parent: Brian Rodrigues Patten Building Rev. Ops Arrow Road

Justin Matthew Saunders Sophia Nicole Simeone Shawn Gordon Skrepnek Callum Stanford Seneca College Ryerson University University of Western Ontario Trent University Biotechnology Technology Engineering (Civil) Medical Science Forensic Science Parent: Glenn Saunders Parent: Marcello Simeone Parent: Randall Skrepnek Parent: Mark Stanford Malvern Division Arrow Road Wilson Division Malvern Division

Jamie Stewart Samantha Tu Brooke Uroda Vimal Verma University of Guelph University of Toronto Glendon University University of Waterloo Applied Human Nutrition Life Sciences Sociology Health Sciences Parent: Douglas Stewart Parent: Thanh Tu Parent: Robert Uroda Parent: Rajesh Kumar ECD Line Mechanic Arrow Road Malvern Division Mount Dennis

Peter Bodnick Memorial Scholarship The Peter Bodnick Memorial Scholarship is available to children of active or retired Local 113 members who are entering a Technical Post Secondary Registered Trades Course leading to a Skilled Trades License. The $1,000 scholarship was established in 2004, following a bequest by Local 113 member Peter Bodnick, who died that year at the age of 91. Bodnick was a Subway Emergency Repairman who worked out of Greenwood Carhouse from 1945 to 1975. The Andrew Wooning Kelly Wooning McMaster University Ryerson University first scholarship was awarded in 2005. There were no applications Business Nursing for the 2013 scholarship. Application forms are available on the Parent: John Wooning Parent: John Wooning union’s website: wemovetoronto.ca.

2013 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Queensway Queensway 21 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113 Canadian Labour: Yes, it’s a movement and yes, we’re part of it. ocal 113 has accomplished many great things in the years The “Fed” Lsince our birth in 1899. But we didn’t do it all alone. In fact, The Ontario Federation of Labour there is very little we could have done on our own. Such as the (OFL) represents 54 unions throughout right to collective bargaining, the foundation of all the progress the province. Collectively, these unions we have made. represent a million workers. From its very beginnings, the Canadian labour movement was The OFL is a very important labour body pushed by sheer geography in the direction of federations, because most workers are covered councils, congresses and other forms of uniting different under provincial labour laws. The OFL Sid Ryan was a CUPE unions with the same goals. Here is an overview of the larger closely monitors the government’s nuclear power worker labour organizations to which Local 113 belongs. before rising to President of plans and actions in these areas and Canada’s largest provincial aggressively advocates for laws that federation. Sometimes Labour Council controversial when he are fairer to workers and their unions. The Toronto and York Region Labour pulls no punches on big Over the years, the Fed has been very issues. Is totally opposed Council local unions with a total effective in its role. The vast majority of to privatization of public of 195,000. Its mandate is to help services. improvements to labour legislation were organize and advocate on issues that led by the OFL. are vital to working people throughout Canada’s most populous region. The The OFL meets in Convention every two years to elect officers, Council is very active in the political set policies and develop action plans to protect workers and their families. There is always a delegation from Local 113 A carpenter by trade, John and economic life of the City of Toronto Cartwright is President of and in York Region. The President at these conventions. The Amalgamated Transit Union has the Toronto and York Region and other Officers regularly make a seat on the 34-member Executive Board. Sign up for an Labour Council. A tireless organizer, you’ll see him deputations to City and Regional email bulletin of Ontario labour issues and activities at the Fed on the front lines on every Council and its committees, including website: ofl.ca. labour-related issue. the Toronto Transit Commission. It is The Congress opposed to P3s and any form of transit privatization. The Canadian Labour Congress is big. It represents national and international unions with a combined An excerpt from Labour Council’s policy membership of 3.3 million workers. It on public transit also brings together the Provincial and “FUND IT, FIX IT, EXPAND IT! Public transit affects us Territorial Federations of Labour. The all. Over the last three decades, the failure of right-wing Ken Georgetti, A B.C.-born CLC biennial convention every two and raised smelter pipefitter politicians to address our region’s transit needs has with the United Steel Workers, years addresses federal labour laws seriously eroded the effectiveness of Toronto’s transit has been CLC President and Canadian social and economic system. While commute times have increased to an since 1999. He is a globally- policies. The ATU always has a voting recognized labour leader, average of 82 minutes per day (and expected to rise to especially in the areas of presence at these conventions. The 102 minutes by 2031), the health impacts are also felt in forced labour for children and Congress was a founding partner of others, sweatshops, lack of CANADIAN LABOUR the quality of life we live and the air we breathe. The time literacy, and bringing younger the New Democratic Party of Canada spent in traffic congestion (for both riders and drivers) members into the movement. in 1961. amounts to a tax on our daily lives.” The CLC is Canadian labour’s main link to the global trade For the full policy (it’s short but comprehensive - and union movement. It is a highly respected affiliate of several a good read, especially for transit workers), go to world-wide labour organizations. Next time you’re online, it’s labourcouncil.ca. worth a visit to canadianlabour.ca. 22 ON THE MOVE • FEBRUARY 2014 KINNEAR: 2014 will be a politically challenging year. Bring it on! (continued from page 3) Toronto Election seats now held by anti-union people who are vulnerable to Rob Ford has been the worst mayor ever for Toronto transit progressive candidates if we get our act together and help our workers. Demanding the removal of our right to strike was friends get elected in October. And we will. Our PAC is going only the beginning. Ford has starved the TTC by refusing to to be very busy this year. keep city subsidies in line with increased ridership. He has Rethinking Local 113’s structure also taken surpluses from the TTC and thrown them back In looking at our history, every 30 or so years our union into general revenues instead of using them to improve the undergoes some kind of internal structural and operational system and service. This negatively affects ATU members on changes to stay up to date, to become more effective and the front lines as riders take out their justifiable frustrations to ensure our members are getting the best service for their on us while politicians are protected by police and other dues. It’s time to do that again. The nature of negotiations security. Ironically, the better we do our jobs, the more we has changed. The grievance and arbitration processes are suffer for it, along with our passengers. And speaking of irony, more expensive than ever. Government interference in our the guy who went to City Hall to stop the so-called gravy operations will create more costs and more problems. The train wants to spend an additional billion in tax dollars for a threat of privatization is very real. Scarborough “stub-way” that will take much longer to build and serve far fewer passengers than the well-studied LRT Is our current way of doing things the best way to address that the Ontario government is willing to pay for. these challenges? We have to study these things carefully and be prepared to make changes that make sense. Ultimately But as we’ve seen from his 2013 meltdown, Ford is only the membership will decide on any changes to our by-laws, one vote on Council, which is now almost evenly divided. which is how it should be. We are a democratic union and we We absolutely must help more Councillors get elected who always will be. strongly support PUBLIC transit. There are several Council Go on offense against Hudak says longtime Local 113 member The following letter was recently emailed to President Bob Kinnear at [email protected] s a member of the union for over 25 years, I am very to start spending the money in the Defense Fund and go on Aconcerned over the current political climate we all the offense! You can start with the MEMBERSHIP! Let them face. I am referring to the upcoming provincial election. Mr. know what this man represents and urge them to get out and Hudak, the Progressive Conservative leader, has made many VOTE(!) come spring, along with all their family and friends! speeches and outright attacks on public service unions I urge you to bring this up at the next general meeting and and on many occasions has used the TTC union as a prime start a public campaign to educate the public! This man is example. FAR more dangerous to us than Rob Ford ever was! He is If this man is elected he has vowed to do so much damage currently leading in the polls so NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT!!! to us that we will never recover. He wants to take over DON’T let this man get elected the subway and streetcar divisions and take away our or every union in the province job security clause in our current contract so he can then will suffer. Contact all the other contract out these divisions. He wants to change our PENSION unions and work together to ENTIRELY and ROLL BACK OUR WAGES! So my question to prevent this. This is important. you is very simple: What is the union planning to do about IT’S OUR JOBS AND OUR this? Will we sit back and let this man get elected? OR PENSIONS THAT ARE AT STAKE start educating the membership and public about what the HERE!!! consequences will if he is in fact elected. Local 113 member James O’Brien – James O Brien strongly urges using the Defense Fund Hudak poses the BIGGEST threat to us in our history and to campaign against “our biggest threat,” YUS Subway Operator now is NOT the time to sit back and do NOTHING! It is time Ontario Conservative Leader Tim Hudak. NEWS AND NOTABLE 23 AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 113 Hell freezes over as Toronto Sun prints Kinnear blast at Harper anti-union law t isn’t often that the Toronto Sun, a newspaper not exactly Iknown for its love of TTC workers, prints an unedited opinion piece by the transit union president. In fact, it’s never happened until recently, when the Sun gave Bob Kinnear prime space for a guest editorial. The subject was Bill C-377, a “private member’s” bill introduced a while ago in the Canadian Parliament – a severely anti-union bill that would violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by treating unions very differently under the law than corporations and other organizations. A Sun writer, Brian Lilly, had praised C-377 and pointed to a poll that showed most Canadians agreed with him. Kinnear objected strongly, not because the union has nothing to hide from its dues-paying members, but because only the members should have the right to know how their money is spent. The bill would have required all unions to publish all annual expenditures over $5,000 on a public website available to anyone. So the general public, in Canada and everywhere in the world, would know not just the gossipy stuff, like the salaries of union officers. They would also see how much the union was spending on grievances and arbitrations, lawyers and other experts, on Steward education, on communications with members (like phone calls from the President), on office equipment, on labour movement meetings, such as the recent convention of the Ontario Federation of Labour. And, of course, on political action of all kinds. Local 113 President Bob Kinnear took the Federal Tories to task for a bill that clearly discriminates against unions. The Senate killed the bill but Prime Minister Harper The Tories do not like this union political action thing. So they has vowed to try again. think that forcing unions to publish what is spent on political action will lead to internal union conflict and maybe even benefit of the law without discrimination.” provincial laws restricting any political action or education “Bill C-377 is an obvious violation of this principle,” he wrote. by unions. The Conservatives would automatically benefit “Few non-union Canadians understand just how open and from such laws. They get nothing from unions because they democratic most Canadian unions are,” Kinnear said. “In my reliably make anti-union laws. Which is why Prime Minister union’s case, every expenditure by ATU Local 113 is subject Harper had a public fit when the Conservative-majority Senate to both prior approval and after-the-fact review by the entire rejected C-377. Several Conservative Senators called it “the membership at open meetings. Everyone has a chance to LOCAL 113 IN THE NEWS worst law we have ever seen.” Others called it “immature” and speak at these meetings and the majority rules. Our audited “undemocratic.” financial statements are both posted in workplaces and freely Not one of the public financial reporting rules in C-377 applied available by membership request. to any other type of human organization in Canada. Law “Our members do not need the public looking over their societies, Medical Associations, corporations of all kinds, profit shoulders when we decide how to spend our money.” and non-profit, no one else had to publicly open its books by Despite its death in the Senate, C-377 is far from gone. The the same rules being imposed on unions. fight is not over. Harper has said we will re-introduce it as a In his response, Kinnear pointed out forcefully that Section government bill and expect all Senators to vote for it. Or else 15 of the Charter states that “we all have the right to equal what? What would Harper do to Conservative Senators who treatment before and under the law, and equal protection and vote against a government bill? We may find out. Stay tuned. ATU FAMILY & FRIENDS APPRECIATION DAY FEBRUARY 15th, 2014

The Ryerson Rams Men’s Hockey and Basketball teams would like to invite you to ATU Family and Friends Appreciation Day on Saturday, February 15th, at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (formerly Maple Leaf Gardens). Come join us as the hockey team battles Windsor at 2:00pm, and the basketball teams take on Queen’s, with the women starting at 6pm, and the men tipping off at 8pm (one ticket is good for both basketball games). ATU Union members will receive an exclusive, discounted rate of $8 a ticket per game, which can also be used for family and friends, and children 12 and under are free!

To secure your tickets, please visit www.ticketmaster.ca/ttcoffer and enter the code TTC.

Please contact Zanth Jarvis at (416) 598-5962 or zanthjarvis@ ryerson.ca All tickets must be purchased in advance to receive this special offer.

ATHLETIC CENTRE

TICKET $8.00 ATU FRIENDS AND FAMILY WWW.MATTAMYATHLETICCENTRE.CA PRICES FREE CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER

This is a great deal, offered specifically for ATU members. Only 8 bucks a ticket (much less than a movie) and kids 12 and under are free! Advance sales only. Get a group together for a big night out. Call or go online right away. It happens Feb. 15.

Civic Action is a WHAT non-partisan, high- WOULD YOU powered group of DO FOR Toronto leaders who come together to forge big ideas and public support for a better future. For over a year, Civic Action has been pushing hard THERE’S A REASON WHY WE NEED at getting much TO INVEST IN TRANSPORTATION. more investments ACTUALLY, THERE ARE 32.

in public transit. Investing in a better transportation system, including public Local 113 President transit, benefits all of us by giving us new jobs, shorter commute Downsview ON M3K 1E5 113, 812 Wilson Ave., Return undeliverables to ATU times, healthier communities, and so much more. No.: 41202529 Canadian Post Publication Agreement Bob Kinnear sits But we need our politicians’ bold leadership to make it happen. on the Regional Tell our politicians we need results now at: Transportation your32.com Champions Council. LOCAL 113 IN THE COMMUNITY