Toronto Transit Commission personnel

Most Toronto Transit Commission personnel are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113. Total membership (2005) is approximately 8,500 members (drivers, ticket collectors and maintenance workers). The ATU has represented Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) workers since 1899; workers of predecessor operators have been represented by the ATU's predecessor, the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America. Since 2003, The president of ATU Local 113 is Bob Kinnear . Another 500 workers (signal, electrical and communications workers) are represented by CUPE Local 2.

Staff positions

TTC Chief Supervisor on Dundas Street

Other than drivers and supervisors, the TTC also employs support staff to keep the system running:

• maintenance employees to clean vehicles, stations, and other TTC property
• clearing TTC roadways during winter months
• engineers and support staff
• mechanics that maintain all the commission vehicles
• blacksmiths to make special parts, notably for the streetcar fleet

Toronto Union History

Unionized transit workers in Toronto began with:

• Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America in 1892
• Division 30 of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Railway Employees of America in 1893
• Division 113 Chartered - Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America in 1899
• Amalgamated Association of Street and Railway Employees of America in 1903
• Amalgamated Transit Union in 1964
• Local 113 of the Amalgamated Association of Street, Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America in 1952

Memorial

TTC employees who have lost their lives in the line of duty:

• Reynold Achong - maintenance worker hit by train while working on tracks at Summerhill station, 1982
• Jimmy Trajceski - ticket collector stabbed to death at Victoria Park station, 1995
• Tony Almeida - maintenance worker hit by unsecured scaffolding while removing asbestos from a tunnel south of Lawrence station, 2007-04-23
• Peter Pavlovski - maintenance worker struck by work car while working at track level north of Yorkdale Station, 2012-09-14.

2012 budget process

In an effort to cut 10% out of its 2012 operating budget - a request made by the Ford administration to all City Departments - the TTC announced that it would have to roll back service on most routes to loading and service standards from 2008. On September 19, 2011 the TTC announced that 250 non-union jobs would be eliminated. The cuts to the non-union positions will consist of both layoffs and "voluntary separation packages". It was also announced that 232 unionized "frontline" (operators and collectors) positions would be eliminated through attrition. It was also revealed that a further 500-600 unionized jobs could be eliminated next year by contracting out various positions in clerical and maintenance related departments.

Labour disputes

Strikes and labour disputes have affected TTC service on various occasions:

• 1952: Strike shuts down TTC service for 19 days
• 1970: Strike, 12 days
• 1974: Strike, 23 days
• 1978: Strike, 8 days
• 1989: Labour disruption, 41 days. (While not an actual strike, service was significantly disrupted.)
• 1991: Strike, 8 days
• April 19, 1999: Strike, 2 days.
• May 29, 2006: Labour dispute, 1 day.
• April 26, 2008: Strike, under 2 days.

Uniforms

TTC Operators and Subway Station Collectors wear uniforms consisting of a light blue shirt with TTC crest (long and short sleeves) and grey slacks. Other garments include maroon windbreakers and winter parkas with grey accents (an attempt to introduce blue jackets in place of the familiar maroon ones in the 1990s failed), dark navy blue blazers with TTC crest, dark navy blue sweaters and sweater vests, dark navy blue golf-style shirts with TTC crest, and grey shorts are worn according to weather. Hats are generally worn by senior staff, namely supervisors, these hats are similar to those worn by police officers or salvation army members. Some vehicle operators tend to wear dark navy blue toques with TTC lettering during the winter months. Some vehicle operators wear a blue baseball cap with white TTC crest. Some of the maintenance staff wear dark blue or green coveralls with TTC crest along with an orange fluorescent jacket with a large yellow X with the "TTC" lettering on the back.

Prior to the current design, the uniform consisted of a light brown shirt and medium brown slacks and blazers.

Honour Guard

The TTC Honour Guard in Nathan Phillips Square

The TTC Honour Guard represents the TTC at city ceremonies and police funerals. Members wear caps, white shirts, blue blazers with Honour Guard crests and grey pants. The unit was formed in 1994 from TTC Operations supervisory ranks following the funeral for Toronto Police Constable Todd Baylis. The unit had 19 members as of 2001.

Special Constables

Main article: TTC Special Constable Services

TTC Special Constable Services was the safety and security division of the transit system from 1997 until February 1, 2011. The officers were sworn in by Toronto Police Service, York Regional Police and Peel Regional Police. They patrolled properties, vehicles and the subway system throughout the entire area served by the TTC.

External links

• Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 Home Page or go to Amalgamated Transit Union
• TTC Special Constables