The leadership team that makes up the Toronto Transit Commission local union has been removed from their positions by their parent U.S.-based Amalgamated Transit Union.
TTC union president Bob Kinnear, who himself has been ousted, said he was notified of the decision early Friday morning.
“I had representatives who showed up at the office at 6 a.m. and were advised by this Washington-based union that they have been removed from office,” he said.
Union leaders spent the morning in court on Friday to have the removal overturned.
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The decision comes just days after ATU Local 113 filed an application with the Canadian Labour Congress, which the union is affiliated with, to have them come in and investigate if the American-based union is representing them properly.
“Over the last number of months, we’ve heard an uprising among our members for dissatisfaction,” Kinnear said. “The interests of our members have been put on the back burner.”
Kinnear said members are looking for “orderly dialogue and an orderly democratic process” between the local and international union.
“Unfortunately the American-based union does not believe in Canadian autonomy and the democracy of local unions,” he said.
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A statement released by the TTC said the union dispute is “unrelated to TTC management or decisions of TTC management” and that they are working to ensure there is no impact to transit users in the city.
The TTC further said the collective agreements between the transit commission and its unions remain in place.
ATU Local 113 represents nearly 11,000 transit employees in Toronto.
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