The Union has been informed that a Request for Proposals has been ordered by the City of Edmonton for contracting out of bus cleaning. The process for generating such a proposal is in its infancy. Transit Fleet Maintenance management has begun the process of understanding the changes needed to support such a move. That’s where it is at this moment. No change of anyone’s job situation is imminent but it will come if we do not act aggressively to stop it.. The Union will fight to stop this until we win.

The Union does NOT support the Regionalization initiative. Our actions last week and the week before, YOUR action in supporting the petition well beyond the target caused a flurry of action that led to the Provincial Government moving it forward more quickly – and removing one more excuse for why they haven’t included us. Our actions proved that we DO have power in this if we act to take it.

The federal government yesterday announced $15B in infrastructure money for Transit. Let’s put that into perspective. It’s $15B to spread across the entire country. Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Mississauga, London, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and everywhere in between. Oh, yeah, and Edmonton. It’s to spread over 8 years. More perspective? Edmonton’s Southeast half of the Valley Line by itself cost $22B. Mr. Iveson, your great victory is not even a sneeze in the breeze.

And to make matters worse, Mr. Mayor, why aren’t you joining the Union, the FCM and CUTA to demand dedicated OPERATING funding from Ottawa?

In solidarity,

Steve Bradshaw

President/Business Agent

ATU Local 569