TTC union backs down, now urges members to comply with transit agency’s vaccine mandate
The TTC's largest union has abruptly backed down in its fight against the transit agency's vaccine mandate and is now advising its members to disclose their inoculation status to management.
It was a stunning reversal that played out in a series of bizarre events Wednesday morning that included the union president being a no-show at a press conference he was scheduled to attend with an MPP turfed from Ontario PC caucus for his opposition to pandemic safety measures.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, which represents most TTC workers, had taken a hard line against the transit agency's vaccination mandate since management announced plans for the policy in August. The union had urged members not to disclose their vaccination status, which it claimed was private medical information.
But in a message sent to members Wednesday morning, Local 113 president Carlos Santos called on the union and TTC CEO Rick Leary to work together on a fair vaccination policy."
Santos still had harsh criticism for Leary, whose actions he claimed had created an unnecessary and unfortunate crisis" around the vaccine issue. But the union president asserted that TTC leadership had heard members' criticism loud and clear" and it was time to co-operate.
Accordingly, myself and the Executive Board of ATU Local 113 are now asking ... members comply with the vaccination status disclosure set out in the TTC's policy," Santos said.
Local 113's climbdown came a day after the TTC filed an urgent application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board claiming the union's directive to employees to not confirm their status amounted to an illegal strike action that has resulted in abysmally low" disclosure rates among employees.
The union's call for co-operation also came minutes after an unusual press conference at Queen's Park at which independent MPP Roman Baber (York Centre) said Local 113 had endorsed his so-called Jobs and Jabs Act. The private member's bill would prohibit workers from being fired or placed on leave for refusing to get their COVID-19 shots or failing to disclose their vaccination status.
Santos was quoted as supporting the bill in a press release Baber circulated and was listed as attending the conference, but he didn't show.
Premier Doug Ford kicked Baber out of PC caucus in January after he wrote a letter to the premier opposing pandemic restrictions and claiming the lockdown is deadlier than COVID."
Representatives from two other transit unions, CUPE Local 5089, which represents TTC fare inspectors and security officers, and ATU Local 107, which represents Hamilton transit workers, did attend to support Baber's legislation.
Local 113 didn't immediately return a request seeking clarification of its position on the bill.
Under the mandatory vaccine policy the TTC introduced on Sept. 7, all employees and contractors are to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 30. They were initially supposed to disclose their vaccine status by Sept. 20, but despite the TTC extending the disclosure deadline to Sept. 30, only about 60 per cent of workers have provided their status according to the latest figures shared by the agency.
Both the union and TTC say they believe a majority of workers have gotten their shots.
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Leary announced that the TTC would extend the deadline for disclosure again, to Oct. 6. He also said the agency was reviewing the status" of its application to the Labour Relations Board.
I want to acknowledge Mr. Santos and Local 113's reversal of position. It is my hope that this will set a new tone for ATU Local 113 in working with us as we all seek to keep the TTC safe and put this pandemic behind us," he said.
Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr