TTC workers call for mass strikes and free public transit

The union of TTC electrical workers is protesting across Ontario to advocate for free public transit and to “take down Doug Ford.”

CUPE Local 2, the union that represents 650 TTC workers who install and maintain all modes of TTC transit, says Ford’s “Getting Ontario Moving Act,” which shifted the responsibility of new subway building into the hands of the province, will risk privatizing the system.

Thanks #CUPE Local 2! By tolerating #DougFord's gerrymandering, cuts to the environment and education, insults to reconciliation, sickening favoritism shown to his rich cronies, we are in fact condoning it. #FakeFordRealCatastrophe

— clarke j (@ClarkeHamel) July 29, 2019

This creep toward privatization will hit oppressed Torontonians the hardest, according to CUPE Local 2’s press release, signed by their president Gaetano Franco.

“Free public transit would mean a boost to the economy and to society as a whole,” the release reads.

Their letter points to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, where public transit is free and has been a successful endeavour that has boosted tax revenues, because people have more money to spend.

CUPE Local 2’s belief is that free public transit will ease the gridlock that is wasting on average 84 minutes per day of commute time for Torontonians, resulting in lost productivity.

The Toronto Regional Board of Trade has projected an annual $6 billion loss of productivity because of wasted transit time, which is projected to grow to $15 billion by 2031.

Striking is fine but I free TTC isn't going to make the a majority of commutes better. There are A LOT of people who commute and absolutely no public transit is available to where they need to go. Going straight downtown, great, going anywhere else, not good at all.

— Alison (🇨🇦) (@ggreeneyes1975) July 29, 2019

Since TTC electrical workers fix all of the maintenance issues on the TTC, once public transit is experiencing problems, Ford may be forced to face the union.