NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES

From the Human Resources Department

As employees of the TTC, each of us has great responsibility and accountability to safely move this city’s 1.8 million daily riders, whether we’re on the frontline, in a maintenance shop, on a work car or in an office.

Reporting to work on time and fit for duty is an obligation we all have. There’s a moral obligation, too, about coming to work on days and times scheduled.

There is also a legal obligation. For example, an organized or concerted effort to disrupt the TTC by not coming to work, or by way of an illegal work stoppage, slow down or strike, is a violation of the collective agreement, the Labour Relations Act, 1995 and the Toronto Transit Commission Labour Disputes Resolution Act, 2011.

Recent postings on social media have come to the TTC’s attention which, in the TTC’s view, shows plans that a clear, concerted effort is being made to illegally disrupt TTC service. An application, therefore, has been filed with the Ontario Labour Relations Board that seeks the following:

• A declaration that the concerted activity last weekend to refuse to sign-up for overtime during Nuit Blanche was an illegal strike supported by the union.
• An order directing the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 113 and specific employees to cease and desist from engaging in, supporting, encouraging or counselling an illegal strike.
• An order directing the union to immediately communicate to its members to cease threatening, counselling, supporting encouraging or engaging in any type of job action against the TTC.

Under law, a union is prohibited from calling, or threatening to call, an unlawful strike. Unions, their executives and stewards are prohibited from counselling, supporting or encouraging an unlawful strike. And any employee who participates in an unlawful strike can be dismissed and be fined by the Ministry of Labour up to a maximum of $2,000.

The appropriate way for a union to voice their displeasure with the actions of the employer – the TTC in this case – is through the grievance process. ATU Local 113 has, in fact, filed a grievance related to the implementation of One-Person Train Operation (OPTO) on Line 4 Sheppard.

As the TTC has said, there will be no job losses as a result of OPTO on Line 4. Further, the Ministry of Labour has ruled that OPTO is safe and the American Public Transit Association has peer-reviewed OPTO, also stating it is safe.

The public – our customers – expect the transit service they pay for to be there for them when they need it. They also expect each of us to abide by the contract we have in place, as well as the laws of Ontario to be respected.

Finally, some of our colleagues who have signed up for work this weekend have reported being intimidated or bullied. Such behaviour is in violation of the TTC’s Workplace Violence and Harassment Policy and will not be tolerated. Employees who are working this weekend have the full support of the TTC.

Thank you for taking the time to understand these very important obligations we each have. They are not arbitrary; they must be adhered to by one and all.

Gemma Piemontese
Chief People Officer
October 7, 2016