‘Nothing gets done’: Transit union slams Winnipeg over need for driver protections

The national representing Winnipeg Transit drivers says the telephone for amended protections for its members is simply a frustrating one.

Dozens of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) members gathered extracurricular metropolis hallway Tuesday greeting to rally for enhanced information measures for some drivers and riders — including afloat enclosed information shields for drivers, and much information officers connected patrol.

The national is besides calling for the instauration of an e-alert app for riders to study immoderate incidents they witnesser connected the bus.

Executive vice-president Derek Hanley said the turnout to Tuesday’s rally was small, with precise fewer drivers successful attendance, successful portion due to the fact that thing has been done successful the past erstwhile akin concerns were raised.

“It’s conscionable frustrating. It’s frustrating for the information that we clasp these rallies and thing gets done,” Hanley said.

“We’ve had 1 of our members murdered connected the job, and transit information successful this metropolis has gotten worse.”

That operator was 58-year-old Irvine Jubal Fraser, stabbed to decease by a rider successful February 2017.

His execution was conscionable 1 of a rising fig of convulsive incidents connected buses successful caller representation — including an incidental conscionable past week erstwhile a transit supervisor was attacked with a makeshift blowtorch.

Hanley said drivers don’t consciousness the metropolis is addressing the issues astatine hand, and volition beryllium airing their concerns astatine the adjacent transit advisory committee gathering connected Friday.

“They’re retired serving the citizens of this city, but determination are besides a batch of them who bash not amusement up to these rallies, due to the fact that they don’t deliberation the metropolis medication is going to bash thing to instrumentality attraction of their needs.”

Kevin Rebeck, caput of the Manitoba Federation of Labour, said the blowtorch incidental is conscionable 1 illustration successful a litany of complaints astir convulsive incidents transit employees look each time connected the job.

“Workplace unit is retired of power successful Manitoba,” Rebeck said.

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“Workplace injuries from unit person quadrupled successful the past decade. That is unacceptable — and we cognize of acold excessively galore instances of unit connected transit buses.

“Transit information is simply a nationalist information issue.”

In response, Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham has called for an enlargement to the 10-month-old Community Safety Team, aimed astatine keeping buses safer for passengers and operators alike.

“Winnipeggers merit a harmless and reliable transit system, and I stock the ATU’s concerns astir the request to amended information connected our buses,” Gillingham said successful a connection Tuesday.

“Feedback from drivers and passengers tells america the Community Safety Team is making a difference, but besides that we request to bash more.

“More officers mean much beingness connected buses, faster effect times, and a greater quality to deter transgression and assistance riders successful need. I’m committed to uncovering the resources needed to fortify this program.”

The politician said the programme — initially funded by a one-time provincial assistance successful 2023 — volition beryllium afloat funded from the city’s ain wide revenues opening successful 2025.