The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) announced Thursday it will be laying off almost 1,200 employees — 1,000 union and 200 non-union — in an attempt to cost-save amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
TTC CEO Rick Leary said in a statement that the decision was not an easy one to make.
“We will take care of the impacted employees as best we can during this difficult time and I look forward to everyone returning to the TTC once ridership has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels,” he said.
The TTC said it has seen an 85 per cent drop in ridership and a loss of $90 million in monthly revenue since the pandemic began.
A letter sent to employees on behalf of Leary said the transit commission will work with the union, as well as with non-union staff, to “minimize” the impact of the layoffs on the employees.
“The TTC will be working to establish a compensation and benefits arrangement for employees to minimize negative impacts as a result of the layoffs,” Leary said in the letter.
“To all those who may be impacted, I want you to know that I am thinking about you and your families,” Leary continued. “I want to make sure you know that this is in no way a reflection on the value we place on the work you do and I am committing to updating you as information is available.”
TTC union president Carlos Santos responded to the announcement, calling on more funding from the provincial and federal government to stop the layoffs from happening.
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“This is the ‘thank you’ our members get for sacrificing themselves day in and day out for putting their families and themselves at risk. No doubt, this feels like a punch to the gut after all the hard work our members are doing to keep Toronto moving throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,” Santos said in a statement. “Almost 30 of you have tested positive for COVID-19. You deserve better than today’s announcement.
“The federal and provincial governments need to step in and provide emergency relief funding for the TTC.”
Santos said the union’s next steps will be to go to Toronto City Hall, Parliament Hill and Queen’s Park to get the funding it “needs to maintain service levels to prevent these layoffs and protect essential workers during this crisis.”
Mayor John Tory issued a statement saying he is “determined” to get back the “record” investments the city has made to the TTC over the past six years, however, he highlighted how COVID-19 has hit every aspect of society.
“During this emergency, the TTC has worked hard to find a way to keep service where it is most needed, to help our frontline and essential workers who still rely on many key routes,” he said, adding the need for help from the federal and provincial government.
“I hope the TTC will be able to work with its union, as the City has done with its two largest unions, to find a way forward that preserves as many jobs as possible but I will also be continuing to advocate strongly for federal and provincial financial support.”
The layoffs are just one of the cost-saving measures being implemented by the transit agency.
Others include:
- Significant reductions in expenditures including pausing all salary increases for non-unionized employees, reducing overtime across the organization, reviewing current vacancies and forgoing hiring all seasonal hires.
- Matching service capacity to system demand by temporarily laying off up to 1,000 transit operators, subject to negotiations with ATU Local 113, and 200 non-union staff positions will also be impacted.
- Delaying all non-essential capital projects in accordance with provincial guidelines.
Safety measures have been put into place to protect both customers and employees, including entering and exiting off buses at the rear doors. Customers are also asked to solely use PRESTO, as operators will no longer be handling cash, tokens or tickets.
The TTC also rolled out specialized cleaning measures in an effort to keep buses, trains and streetcars free of COVID-19.
Service is operating at 70 to 80 per cent of its normal levels, with focus on priority and busier routes to ensure proper social distancing protocols can be met by customers.
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