Union Loses Court Order to Stop TTC’s Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy – Toronto | The Canadian News

The union representing thousands of TTC workers has lost its injunction to stop the transit agency’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.

Earlier this month, ATU Local 113 filed an application with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to stop the TTC from granting employees unpaid leave or termination notices until the dispute was ruled by an arbitrator.

The court had denied the union’s request on Saturday.

“We believe that the TTC policy of suspending and firing unvaccinated workers is unfair and will be overturned in arbitration. While I was hoping that the Court would end this policy while we fought in the arbitration, I am confident that we will ultimately prevail, ”said Carlos Santos, president of ATU Local 113 in a statement.

In an interview with Global News, Shabnum Durrani, TTC’s head of corporate communications, confirmed that they will go ahead with their vaccination policy.

Employees were asked to reveal their vaccination status and to be fully vaccinated by the end of the day on Saturday.

“So at the end of today, if the employees have not followed the policy, they will go on leave. And we are hopeful that in the next six weeks they will be vaccinated, ”Durrani said.

The transit agency said that if employees do not get vaccinated or do not disclose their status by Dec. 30, the workers will face dismissal.

More than 90 percent of TTC employees have been fully vaccinated, Durrani said.

Santos said the transit agency could have implemented other solutions.

“Instead of laying off workers, the TTC can keep our workplace safe by offering regular tests for the small percentage of workers who do not want the vaccine,” he said.

The TTC has warned customers that due to a possible worker shortage, there will be some changes to services starting November 21, which may be similar to the seasonal adjustments made in the summer and December.

The agency assured that these changes will only affect routes with few passengers and that its busiest routes will remain protected.

2:35TTC’s Largest Union Warns of Service Cuts Due to COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate

Last video


Next video