London, ON, Paratransit Workers Vote to Join Our Local 741
Congratulations to the newest members of ATU Local 741 in London, Ontario! After a hard fought battle, the more than 130 workers providing paratransit services for the London Transit Commission (LTC) are now part of our Local. These workers, including drivers and staff, are employed by Voyago, a subsidiary of Transdev.
In early November last year, the workers voted to join Local 741, but the company challenged the vote under the Labour Relations Act and sent the matter to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB).
Essential Workers, Unheard Voices
“It’s a scandal that Voyago and the LTC refuse to accept that these workers voted to join our Union. They provide critical transportation to people with disabilities and seniors and want to be treated with dignity and respect on the job,” said International President John Costa.
The two-day vote in early November showed overwhelming support for Local 741. Approximately 83% of the votes were in favor of joining the union.
The successful organizing campaign focused on addressing workers’ concerns over low wages, high turnover, and long hours, all of which have negatively impacted the reliability of this critical service.
In January, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) sided with our Local and the results of the election were unsealed, allowing the workers to join our Local 741.
A Strong Vote of Confidence
“It’s a telltale sign of how disgruntled employees are with the employer,” said ATU Canada President John Di Nino. “It really is a vote of confidence, from our perspective, that these workers were crying out for help.”
The next step is to submit a notice to begin bargaining for a new collective agreement. Local 741 officials will also survey the workers to gather their priorities for the upcoming negotiations.
“Our thought process is that this employer is going to delay and defer, and this could take a considerable amount of time,” Di Nino continued. “We want to move on this quickly and without making any mistakes, but we want to get these workers what they rightfully need and deserve and what they’re asking for.”
We are proud to welcome these dedicated workers to our ATU family and look forward to negotiating a strong first contract.