Congratulations to ATU 569 Members!
On November 18 it was announced that the City of Edmonton had reversed course on its decision to contract out bus cleaning operations that would have resulted in 110 ATU members losing their jobs. In addition to the Cleaners, another 5 jobs (Fare Maintainers) were saved as well. This is a great announcement that simply would not have happened if not for the collective pressure applied by ATU members across the City.
Union members attended rallies, sent messages to their City Councillors, signed pledges, wore buttons, and talked with their co-workers about the cleaners and now their action has saved 110 jobs from being privatized. ATU also spent a significant amount of time during the last municipal election talking to their members about Council candidates who committed to rejecting privatization. All this work led to City Administration coming back to the table to find a way to protect those jobs.
This victory, along with the union members resoundingly rejecting the City’s most recent contract offer, goes to show what happens when a union puts in the work and stands together. As a Coalition, let’s all congratulate ATU members and use this as an example to build upon!
