Welcome to the New ATU1587 Website!
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All material and information provided on the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1587 (“ATU 1587”) website is solely for information purposes. It is not intended to be workplace advice. You should contact a Union Representative prior to making any decisions. Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1587 does not warrant the quality, accuracy, or completeness of any information on our website. This website may contain inaccuracies or typographical errors.
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The Warden shall take charge of the door of the meeting room and shall see that only members or guests authorized by the Executive Board are allowed to enter. He shall direct members to sign the Register of Attendance and shall extend those courtesies, and exercise that authority necessary for proper supervision of admission to the meetings of the Local Union.
The Register of Attendance shall be closed by the President/Business Agent thirty (30) minutes after the meeting begins and no member or guest shall be entitled to sign after the Register is closed.
Twenty (20) members at a General Meeting, exclusive of the President, Vice-President & Financial Secretary-Treasurer shall constitute a quorum to do business.
There shall be two types of meetings – Regular General and Special.
a) Regular General Meetings
The Regular General Meetings shall be held on the second Sunday of every month at 10 a.m. or as designated by the Executive Board. The meeting will be held at the place designated by the Executive Board.
b) Special Meetings
The Special Meetings may be held at the discretion of the President/Business Agent who in doing so shall act on the authority of the Executive Board or by petition in writing signed by one-third or more of the members.
Duration of meetings shall not exceed three (3) hours. Only by a motion and a majority vote of the members present may the length of the meeting be extended.
a) The meeting called for a certain time at a certain place and the number of members necessary for a quorum not being present at fifteen (15) minutes after the time at which the meeting was to have been called to order shall be cancelled.
b) In the event that no meeting is held for lack of a quorum, actions of the Executive Board, which would have been reported to the membership at that meeting, shall become final and binding upon the Local Union without further by the membership.
The duration of any speech by any member upon any question at any meeting shall not exceed three (3) minutes except with permission of the chairperson. No member shall speak more than once on any subject until all members have received an opportunity to be heard.
A Notice of Motion must be submitted in writing at any General Meeting of the Local Union on the designated form (available from the Financial Secretary-Treasurer or Warden). Such Notice of Motion to be read and laid on the table until the next General Meeting, to be posted, and resolved by the vote of the members present. A two-thirds majority of the members voting is necessary to adopt any motion to change the By-Laws or the dues structure.
The Constitution and Local Union By-Laws and Roberts’ Rules of Order shall be used as a guide to conduct any and all meetings. The following order is generally to be followed at meetings:
1. Call to Order by the chairperson
2. Roll call of Officers, Board Members, Shop Stewards, and Warden
3. Reading of the minutes of previous meeting
4. Communications
5. President’s Report
6. Report of Grievance Officer and Board Members
7. Report of Delegates
8. Report of Committees
9. Unfinished business
10. New business and welfare of the Local Union
11. Nominations for the Election of Officers
12. Installation of Officers
13. Financial Report
14. Adjournment
Check back often for updates and REGISTER for member access!!
The Amalgamated Transit Union is the largest labour union representing transit and allied workers in North America.
Founded in 1892 with the certification of streetcar workers in the USA, The Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America’s first office was located in Detroit, Michigan. Throughout the years the Amalgamated Association grew throughout the USA and Canada. In 1964 the name was changed to the Amalgamated Transit Union.
Today, the ATU represents over 200,000 members with 240 locals in 9 provinces and 46 states.
In 1982, the ATU Canadian Council was created. The Council represented the interests of employees of various Canadian transit systems including municipal, provincial, and private employers.
In 2015 the Canadian Council became ATU Canada, and for the first time, represented all Canadian ATU locals.
ATU Canada’s mandate includes political advocacy, strategic planning, coalition building and organizing unrepresented workers throughout Canada.
Local 1587 has a long and honoured history in Ontario.
We were certified in 1979 as the bargaining unit for GO Transit - today, a division of Metrolinx.
Local 1587 represents more than 2300 Metrolinx employees and retirees across the G.T.H.A. including drivers, station ambassadors, office and professional staff, mechanics, plant personnel and transit safety officers.
Local 1587 is affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress, the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Toronto and York Region Labour Council.
"If this discussion could in anyway lead to my being disciplined or terminated or cause an effect on my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative be present at this meeting. Without representation present, I choose not to participate in this discussion."
If you are unsure about a conversation you have had with your supervisor, or you have been asked to participate in a discussion with management about your work performance, contact a Shop Steward, Board Member or Union Office.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, section 43(3), an Employee may refuse work where he or she has reason to believe that there is a danger to health or safety.
(3) | A worker may refuse to work or do particular work where he or she has reason to believe that, |
(a) | any equipment, machine, device or thing the worker is to use or operate is likely to endanger himself, herself or another worker; |
(b) | the physical condition of the workplace or the part thereof in which he or she works or is to work is likely to endanger himself or herself; |
(b.1) | workplace violence is likely to endanger himself or herself; or |
(c) | any equipment, machine, device or thing he or she is to use or operate or the physical condition of the workplace or the part thereof in which he or she works or is to work is in contravention of this Act or the regulations and such contravention is likely to endanger himself, herself or another worker. R.S.O. 1990, c. O.1, s. 43 (3); 2009, c. 23, s. 4 (2). |
(4) | Upon refusing to work or do particular work, the worker shall promptly report the circumstances of the refusal to the worker’s employer or supervisor who shall forthwith investigate the report in the presence of the worker…” |
For more information, contact your Shop Steward or Executive Board Member.
You can also find more information about Health and Safety by logging into the Members Section.
At some point, every employee will be unable to attend work. This may be because you are sick or for other reasons. You have different benefit entitlements, rights and obligations depending on the nature of your absence.
It is important to know your rights!
If you are sick and unable to work, you may be eligible for Short Term Disability under Article B6 of the Collective Agreement.
The Employer cannot discipline you for being sick!
However, you must comply with the Collective Agreement requirements for a Medical Certificate.
If you are unable to work because of an injury or death of a close relative, certain emergencies, or other urgent matters, you have the right to take up to 10 days of job-protected leave each calendar year due to. This is known as Personal Emergency Leave. The Employer cannot discipline you for taking Personal Emergency Leave, but you must notify the employer and provide reasonable documentation in support of the absence. Further details regarding Personal Emergency Leave can be found on the Ontario Government Website.
If you are unable to work for another reason, you may be entitled to a leave of absence. However, such a leave of absence should be requested and approved by the Employer. Failing to request a leave of absence or failing to attend work where the absence isn’t covered by illness or Personal Emergency Leave can result in discipline. You should contact your Union Representative prior to making any request for a leave of absence to discuss your rights and obligations.
If you have any questions about absences from work, please contact your Steward, Board Member, or the Union Office at 416-695-3896 or contactus@atu1587.ca.
It’s time to begin negotiating our collective bargaining agreement (contract), which expires on June 1st, 2022. Our union contract is the most important document in our working lives. It establishes our wages, benefits, and working conditions. As a union member, your involvement in this process is essential for our success.
To win the best contract possible, we need to identify the issues for which members are most willing to fight. The results of this survey will guide our Local Union bargaining committee. It will determine what demands we make and which proposals we put on the table.
Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey and return this survey to one of your Shop Stewards or a member of the Contract Action Team.
Step 1/6
Step 2/6
Step 3/6
1. Do you know who your steward is and how to reach them?
2. Do you feel the contract prevents management from creating unnecessary work rules?
3. Arrange the priorities by changing the values to their left.
Step 4/6
4. Do you work overtime to make ends meet?
5. Do you work a second job to make ends meet?
6. How would you rate management’s concern for the workers?
7. Do you feel you will be able to retire comfortably under your current retirement plan?
8. Are you aware of any maintenance problems with buses in the fleet?
If so, please provide specific details and bus numbers
9. If trained by the union, are you willing to volunteer time to talk to your coworkers about participating in union actions related to the contract?
Step 5/6
Wear buttons/stickers/t-shirts
Attend Board meetings/rallies
Sign a petition
Pass out leaflets/materials to my co-workers
Call my co-workers on the phone
Join the Contract Action Team and talk to my co-workers
Participate in informational pickets or demonstrations
Step 6/6
Do you have other ideas to recommend for contract negotiations? Make them here!
Subject of your proposal (generally):
Summary of idea for contract proposal:
What, if anything, has changed or worsened at your facility in recent years that you would like to win back or improve in a union contract?
Click on each candidate to see their campaign information.
This content has been provided by each respective candidate.
ATU1587 does not take any responsibility for the content and does not necessarily endorse or share any views or opinions.
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FREE! Downloadable wallpaper for your computer's desktop. Comes in multiple sizes.
To purchase items please contact the Union Office or your Board Member, Thank you.
Colour: Bone with Embroidered logo, one size
$17.00
Beanie Style with embroidered logo, one size
$6.00
Heather Grey Available in M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL.
$16.00
Heather Grey, Available in S, M, L, XL.
$19.00
16 oz. Double Wall Stainless Steel Tumbler with Vacuum Insulation, "Snapseal" threaded lid and silicone grip.
$32.00
available in 4 colours.
$4.00
Comes packaged in a black presentation box with 2 batteries and spare bulb in the tail cap. Water & Shock resistant.
$32.00
7 1/4" x 8 1/2" Vinyl with rubber backing.
$9.00
$7.00
With Push-Down Cap and Pocket Clip.
$6.00
$5.00
Coming Soon...
Recently Metrolinx announced that, as part of its GO Expansion initiative, the OnCorr program (short for On-Corridor Works) will take over the Design, Build, Operation and Maintenance of several key existing and new GO facilities, including the Willowbrook Rail Maintenance Facility.
The OnCorr program is currently in the tendering phase and will eventually be awarded to a consortium of companies; this group of companies is referred to as “Project Co.”
In March 2021 ATU1587 filed a policy grievance against Metrolinx arguing that the work to be assumed by Project Co. is 1587 bargaining unit work, and that OnCorr contravenes, among other things, Letter of Agreement #3 and Article 27 of the Collective Agreement.
OnCorr represents a significant risk to our members, and we are committed to continuing our fight against all forms of contracting out, including Public / Private Partnerships.
We will keep you up to date as the grievance process advances or as more information becomes available.
ATU1587 has joined 40 other unions in a Charter challenge against Bill 124, the so called “Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act”.
This Bill, which received Royal Assent in November 2019, will essentially limit annual increases to a total of 1%, including wages and cost of benefits.
The coalition of approx. 270,000 Ontario workers, led by the Ontario Federation of Labour, filed the application in 2020 with affidavits filed in February 2021, and is arguing that the Bill breaches the right to collective bargaining as protected in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Court dates are expected late in 2021 and we will update the membership throughout the process or as new information arises.
After years of hard-fought litigation, we are pleased to announce that ATU1587 has reached a settlement with Metrolinx and will now be representing several employees at UP Express.
This is an important win for our local and, for the first time, extends our bargaining rights at Metrolinx beyond GO Transit.
We are currently in a similar fight for positions at PRESTO with arbitration concluding summer of 2021.
Stay tuned...