From Calgary to Edmonton, International President Costa Touches Down in Canada
Prior to the ATU General Executive Board meeting in Calgary, AB, this year, International President John Costa took the opportunity to visit with our Canadian members in Alberta to visit them on the job.
First Stop Local 583-Calgary, AB
The trip began with a visit with our Local 583-Calgary, AB members. Costa, International Executive Vice President Yvette Trujillo, and International Vice President John Callahan stopped at the Local’s Union Hall to meet with Local 583 President/Business Agent Mike Mahar and board members.
Changing Technology
After the Local Union Hall, Costa and the team headed to the Oliver Bowen Maintenance LRT facility to meet our maintenance members and talk with them about the changes in technology in the industry. The Local then had a surprise for Costa when they let him drive a state-of-the-art Calgary Transit LRT vehicle in the maintenance yard.
National Day of Mourning
With the visit falling on the National Day of Mourning in Canada and Workers’ Memorial Day in the U.S., Costa spoke at an emotional memorial wreathing laying ceremony at the Calgary Municipal Building with unions from across Calgary and elected officials. “Today, we remember all the workers killed, injured, or made ill on the job. We remember 161 Albertan workers who we lost in 2022,” Costa solemnly told the audience. “We remember our Mississauga, ON, Local 1572 Brother David ZHU, who was tragically killed in a workplace accident last September. Today and every day, as we mourn those we’ve lost, we continue our fight for safe workplaces until not one more worker is killed, injured, or made ill on the job.”
The last stop was the Spring Gardens garage, where Costa and the team met our maintenance workers and bus operators and engaged in great conversation about our Union, their concerns, and other issues. Thanks to Local 583 and our members for the great day.
Head North to Local 569-Edmonton, AB
The next day, Costa and Trujillo headed north to Edmonton, AB, to meet with our Local 569-Edmonton, AB, members where they were joined by ATU Canada President John Di Nino.
The first stop was at the Local 569 Union Hall to meet with Local President/Business Agent Steve Bradshaw and their Executive Board. Costa led a spirited discussion on the challenges impacting our Local and members, including organizing, the upcoming provincial elections, contract campaigns, and other issues.
Afterward, Costa and the team visited with our members at the Edmonton Transit Service’s (ETS) Katherine Andrews Maintenance Shop and Operations, named after ETS’s first female bus operator, and the Mill Woods Transit Centre. At the maintenance facility, Costa toured the ETS electric bus shop to see the latest technology and talk with our maintenance workers about the issues they face. At the transit centre, Costa spoke with our bus operators about their jobs and how the Union can better serve them.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley Rally
The final stop for the day was to meet with and pledge our support for Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley prior to a rally to kick off her campaign for Alberta Premier.
Thank you to our Canadian members and Locals for the great visit. You make our Union proud.