Amalgamated Transit Union

Last updated

Amalgamated Transit Union
AbbreviationATU
FormationSeptember 15, 1892;131 years ago (1892-09-15)
Type Trade union
Headquarters Silver Spring, Maryland, US
Location
    • Canada
    • United States
Membership (2020)
200,000 [1]
President
 John A. Costa
Secretary-treasurer
Kenneth R. Kirk
Executive vice president
Yvette J. Trujillo
Affiliations
Website atu.org OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Formerly called
  • Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America
  • Amalgamated Association of Street, Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America

The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) is a labor organization in the United States and Canada that represents employees in the public transit industry. Established in 1892 as the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America, the union was centered primarily in the Eastern United States; today, ATU has over 200,000 members throughout the United States and Canada.

Contents

History

The union was founded in 1892 as the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America. The union has its origins in a meeting of the American Federation of Labor in 1891 at which president Samuel Gompers was asked to invite the local street railway associations to form an international union. Gompers sent a letter to the local street railway unions in April 1892, and based on the positive response arranged for a convention of street railway workers. [2] The convention began on September 12, 1892, in Indianapolis, Indiana, attended by fifty delegates from twenty-two locals. Many of the smaller unions were affiliated with the AFL, while four larger locals were affiliated with the Knights of Labor and two were independent. [3]

The first president was William J. Law from the AFL-affiliated local in Detroit. [3] Detroit was chosen as the headquarters, using the same facilities as the Detroit local. [4] Because the number of members affiliated with the Knights of Labor was greater than the numbers affiliated with the AFL, according to the claims of the delegates, the new international remained unaffiliated despite pleas by Gompers. [4] The objectives included education, settlement of disputes with management, and securing good pay and working conditions. The international was given considerable authority over the locals. [5]

The second convention was held in Cleveland in October 1893, with just fifteen divisions represented by about twenty delegates. [6] At this meeting William D. Mahon was named president, and he still held this position in 1937. By then the union had been renamed the Amalgamated Association of Street, Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America. [2] The union struggled in the early years as the transit companies followed the practice of firing union activists. In the 1897 meeting in Dayton, Ohio, there were twenty delegates. The treasury of the union now had $4,008. [7] An early achievement was to have laws passed in a dozen states by 1899 that mandated enclosed vestibules for the motormen. Wages were close to $2 a day where the union was established, and in Detroit and Worcester the nine-hour day had been achieved, although in most cities ten- or eleven-hour days were common. [8]

At the start of the 20th century the Amalgamated Association launched a militant organizing program. Although the union was always willing to arbitrate in disputes, there were many strikes against the streetcar companies. Often these turned violent, as in St. Louis in 1900 or Denver in 1920. The public and small businesses sympathized with the strikers, and passengers and other unions often became involved in the street actions. [9] When buses began to replace streetcars, the association began to be challenged by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Helpers. It was agreed that the Amalgamated Association would have jurisdiction over buses operated by street railway companies, while the Teamsters would have jurisdiction over independent bus lines and over road transportation of goods. [10]

Political and legislative activities

In 2008, the ATU endorsed Hillary Clinton in her unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination; after she conceded defeat, the ATU endorsed Barack Obama in his bid to become president. [11]

The ATU was named the "Most Valuable National Union" in The Nation magazine's Progressive Honor Roll of 2012 for its support of the Occupy movement, the National Day of Action for Public Transportation, and other social justice issues. [12]

Timeline

YearLocation
1892IndianapolisAmalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America is founded in September 1892
1900St. Louis St. Louis Streetcar Strike of 1900
1903As electrically powered streetcars became more common, the name was changed to the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees of America. [10]
1908Chicago Chicago Tunnel Company refuses to recognize the Amalgamated Association. On May 9 all workers go on strike. Company uses strikebreakers to break the strike. [13]
1909OmahaAn attempt to organize Omaha streetcar workers fails when armed strikebreakers are brought in. [14]
1910PhiladelphiaThe streetcar union launches a strike in February 1910. Violence erupts, and the strike escalates into a general strike of unions in all industries on March 4, involving about 100,000 workers. After three weeks the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company agrees to negotiate. [15]
1912BostonBoston streetcar workers go on strike. After two months they gain the right to form a trade union, and a system of arbitration for future disputes is agreed upon. [16] President Mahon cedes jurisdiction over carpenters, painters, electricians, and other skilled trades to the AFL. The union's membership is divided into 34 distinct labor units, each with a separate agreement negotiated with the company's representative Cyrus S. Ching. [17]
1913Indianapolis Indianapolis Streetcar Strike of 1913 starts on October 31. After rioting, the Indiana National Guard is brought in and the city placed under martial law on November 5. As a result, Indiana enacts laws that set minimum wages, regular hours and workplace improvements. [18]
1916Washington, D.C.Workers on streetcars in Washington, D.C. are organized when local 689 of the Amalgamated Association wins recognition after a three-day strike. [19]
1917Bloomington, Illinois 1917 Bloomington Streetcar Strike: A general strike in Bloomington occurred, by both the ATU local 752 transit workers and sympathy strikers that made up the vast majority of the town's workers.
1917Minneapolis-Saint Paul 1917 Twin Cities streetcar strike: Efforts to organize workers of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company fail after several instances of rioting. Workers later unionized in 1934.
1934Los AngelesAmalgamated workers at the Los Angeles Railway strike in response to a refusal to raise wages. Approximately 1/8th of the railway employees joined the strike and were subsequently fired. [20]
1935OmahaOn April 20, 1935, a long and violent strike begins in Omaha, but is not successful. [21]
1936New York CityNegotiations for the Transport Workers Union to join the Amalgamated Association break down.
1944PhiladelphiaDespite opposition from the union, white workers walk out from August 1–8 in the Philadelphia transit strike of 1944 in an attempt to block giving non-menial jobs to black workers. Troops are brought in and the workers return to work having failed to achieve their goal. [22]
1947Cornwall, OntarioWorkers at the Cornwall Street Railway strike repeatedly for wage increases throughout August and September in a dispute which is only ended through mediation from Ontario Minister of Labour Charles Daley.
1964Name is changed to Amalgamated Transit Union
1966New York CityIn the 1966 New York City transit strike, the TWU and the ATU both strike against the New York City Transit Authority. The ATU represents 1,750 bus employees in Queens and Staten Island, while the TWU represents 33,000 transit employees. [23] The 12-day strike leads to passage of the Taylor Law, redefining the rights and limitations of unions for public employees in New York. [24]
1983 Greyhound faces growing competition and is forced to drop its fares. To survive, it requests a 9.5% wage cut, which the union rejects. In November 1983 the ATU calls a strike of Greyhound employees, with 12,700 members walking off the job. The union accepts a 7.8% wage cut on December 19, 1983, just before Christmas. [25]
1990A second Greyhound strike begins in March 1990. Over 9,000 union members lost their jobs when Greyhound hired an army of replacements. One striker was killed when struck by a bus driven by a strikebreaker. The strike drags on and many drivers return to work. The ATU let its members return in 1993. [25]
2006Toronto 2006 Toronto Transit Commission wildcat strike
2008TorontoThe 2008 Toronto Transit Commission strike is called at 90 minutes notice at midnight on Friday, August 2. Emergency legislation is passed over the weekend to force the strikers back to work. [26]
2023TorontoThe 2023 Toronto Transit Commission Strike On June 7, 2024, TTC workers and Amalgamated Transit Union [27] went on strike because of demands for job security, protections against contracting out jobs, and improvements in benefits for active members and pensioners.

[28] It lasted for 1 day until June 8, where the President of Amalgamated Transit Union 113, Marvin Alfred, confirmed Friday morning that a tentative agreement had been reached late Thursday and that talks had continued until almost 4 a.m. "What we have right now is a deal," he said. "We have something signed, but we're still preparing and making sure we can have something tangible for our membership," he told CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Friday. [29]

Leadership

Presidents

1893: William D. Mahon [30]
1946: A. L. Spradling [30]
1959: John M. Elliott [30]
1973: Daniel V. Maroney [30]
1981: John W. Rowland [30]
1985: Jim La Sala [30]
2003: Warren S. George
2010: Larry Hanley
2019: John Costa

Secretary-Treasurers

1892: J. C. Manual [30]
1893: S. M. Massey [30]
1894: M. G. Moore [30]
1895: James G. Grant [30]
1895: Rezin Orr [30]
1917: L. D. Bland [30]
1934: William Taber [30]
1946: Rip Mischo [30]
1968: James J. Hill [30]
1974: John Rowland [30]
1976: Raymond C. Wallace [30]
1989: Oliver W. Green [30]
2001: Oscar Owens
2019: Kenneth R. Kirk

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Transit Commission</span> Agency responsible for local public transit in Ontario, Canada

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is the public transport agency that operates bus, subway, streetcar, and paratransit services in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, some of which run into the Peel Region and York Region. It is the oldest and largest of the urban transit service providers in the Greater Toronto Area, with numerous connections to systems serving its surrounding municipalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union station (TTC)</span> Toronto subway station

Union is a subway station on Line 1 Yonge–University of the Toronto subway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened in 1954 as one of twelve original stations on the first phase of the Yonge line, the first rapid transit line in Canada. It was the southern terminus of the line until the opening of the University line in 1963, and is today the inflection point of the U-shaped line. Along with Spadina station and Queens Quay station, it is one of three stations open overnight to support late-night streetcar routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto streetcar system</span> Streetcar network in Ontario, Canada

The Toronto streetcar system is a network of eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It is the third busiest light-rail system in North America. The network is concentrated primarily in Downtown Toronto and in proximity to the city's waterfront. Much of the streetcar route network dates from the 19th century. Three streetcar routes operate in their own right-of-way, one in a partial right-of-way, and six operate on street trackage shared with vehicular traffic with streetcars stopping on demand at frequent stops like buses. Since 2019, the network has used low-floor streetcars, making it fully accessible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Toronto Transit Commission</span>

The history of public transportation in Toronto in Canada dates back to the middle 19th century under many different private companies, organizations and owners, which were all later unified as a single government-run entity during the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">510 Spadina</span> Streetcar route in Toronto, Canada

510 Spadina is a Toronto streetcar route in Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen</span> United States trade union

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) is a labor union founded in Marshall, Michigan, on 8 May 1863 as the Brotherhood of the Footboard. It was the first permanent trade organization for railroad workers in the US. A year later it was renamed the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. The B of LE took its present name in 2004 when it became a division of the Rail Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT).

The 2006 Toronto Transit Commission wildcat strike was an unlawful strike in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that occurred on May 29, 2006. It was initiated by 800 Toronto Transit Commission mechanical and janitorial workers who were protesting proposed changes in work schedules, including permanent reassignment of 100 workers to night shifts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Steel recognition strike of 1901</span> 1901 failed nationwide strike by American steelworkers

The U.S. Steel recognition strike of 1901 was an attempt by the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers to reverse its declining fortunes and organize large numbers of new members. The strike failed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1892 New Orleans general strike</span> General strike in New Orleans, Louisiana, US

The New Orleans general strike was a general strike in the U.S. city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, that began on November 8, 1892. Despite appeals to racial hatred, black and white workers remained united. The general strike ended on November 12, with unions gaining most of their original demands.

Most Toronto Transit Commission personnel are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113. Total membership (2016) is approximately 10000 members. The ATU has represented Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) workers since 1899; workers of predecessor operators have been represented by the ATU's predecessor, the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America. The president of ATU Local 113 was Bob Kinnear from 2003 to February 2017, Carlos Santos from January 2019 to December 2021 and Marvin Alfred since December 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Toronto Transit Commission strike</span> Strike action by Toronto Transit Commission employees

The 2008 Toronto Transit Commission strike was a legal strike action by Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) unionized employees that began on April 26, 2008, at 12:01 a.m. EDT. All bus, streetcar and subway service in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was suspended, leaving thousands of people stranded across the city. Although the strike action was legal, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 113 did not provide 48-hour notice of the service withdrawal as they had previously promised they would do. Instead, the ATU only provided 90 minutes' notice before the service withdrawal. Bob Kinnear, president of ATU Local 113, claimed that the lack of an advance notice was necessary to protect the TTC employees from "angry and irrational members of the public".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Kinnear</span>

Bob Kinnear is a union leader in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was the leader of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 from 2003 to 2017. Kinnear joined the TTC as a janitor in 1988 at age 18 and worked his way up as bus operator and subway guard/operator before becoming union head.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia general strike (1910)</span>

The General Strike of 1910 was a labor strike by trolley workers of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company that grew to a citywide riot and general strike in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neville Park Loop</span> Terminus of Toronto 501 streetcar line

Neville Park Loop is the eastern terminus of the 301/501 Queen streetcar line, the longest streetcar route of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It is also the terminus of the 143 Beaches/Downtown express bus service. It is located at the southwest corner of Queen Street East and Nursewood Road in the Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto. It is named after the street which is just west of the loop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Carhouse</span> Rail yard of the Toronto Transit Commission

The Russell Carhouse, located at Queen Street East and Connaught Avenue just east of Greenwood Avenue in Toronto, is the Toronto Transit Commission's second oldest carhouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streetcar strikes in the United States</span>

From 1895 to 1929, streetcar strikes affected almost every major city in the United States. Sometimes lasting only a few days, these strikes were often "marked by almost continuous and often spectacular violent conflict," at times amounting to prolonged riots and weeks of civil insurrection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William D. Mahon</span>

William Daniel Mahon (1861–1949) was a former coal miner and streetcar driver who became president of the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America, now the Amalgamated Transit Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public transportation in Toronto</span>

Public transportation in the Canadian city of Toronto dates back to 1849 with the creation of a horse-drawn stagecoach company. Today, Toronto's mass transit is primarily made up of a system of subways, buses, and streetcars, covering approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) of routes operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and inter-regional commuter rail and bus service provided by GO Transit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1910 Columbus streetcar strike</span> Union strike in Columbus, Ohio in 1910

The 1910 streetcar strike was a union protest against labor practices by the Columbus Railway and Light Co. in Columbus, Ohio in 1910. The summertime strike began as peaceful protests, but led to thousands rioting throughout the city, injuring hundreds of people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1917 Twin Cities streetcar strike</span> 1917 labor strike in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States

The 1917 Twin Cities streetcar strike was a labor strike involving streetcar workers for the Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT) in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Minnesota, popularly known as the Twin Cities. The initial strike lasted from October 6 to 9, 1917, though the broader labor dispute between the streetcar workers and the company lasted for several months afterwards and included a lockout, a sympathetic general strike, and months of litigation before ending in failure for the strikers.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-160. Report submitted September 30, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Schmidt 1937, p. 121.
  3. 1 2 Schmidt 1937, p. 122.
  4. 1 2 Schmidt 1937, p. 123.
  5. ↑ Schmidt 1937, p. 124.
  6. ↑ Schmidt 1937, p. 129.
  7. ↑ Schmidt 1937, p. 141.
  8. ↑ Schmidt 1937, p. 142.
  9. ↑ Molloy 2007, p. 3.
  10. 1 2 Stewart 1936, p. 242.
  11. ↑ Amalgamated Transit Union Endorses Barack Obama.
  12. ↑ Nichols 2013.
  13. ↑ Illinois State Board of Arbitration 1908, p. 95.
  14. ↑ Larsen 1997, p. 136.
  15. ↑ Stromquist 2006, pp. 168–169.
  16. ↑ Boston's Car Strike Settled 1912.
  17. ↑ Raskin 1989, pp. 22–35.
  18. ↑ Stoner 2011, pp. 110–111.
  19. ↑ Schrag 2006, p. 29.
  20. ↑ "Los Angeles Railway History". Interurbans: The National Electric Railway News Digest. Interurbans Special (11). October 1951.
  21. ↑ Larsen 1997, pp. 202ff.
  22. ↑ Zieger 2007, p. 133.
  23. ↑ Marmo 1990, pp. 28–29.
  24. ↑ The history of the Taylor Law 2005.
  25. 1 2 Oestreich & Whaley 2001.
  26. ↑ Kalinowski & Javed 2008.
  27. ↑ https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ttc-workers-are-set-to-strike-on-friday-and-there-will-be-no-ttc-service-if-they-do/ar-BB1nBJ5b?ocid=BingNewsSerp%7Cdate=June 8, 2023 |access-date=June 10, 2023
  28. ↑ https://globalnews.ca/news/10550647/ttc-strike-avoided-june-7-latest/%7Cdate=June 8, 2023 |access-date=June 10, 2023
  29. ↑ https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/ttc-union-talks-down-to-wire-as-midnight-strike-deadline-looms/ar-BB1nM23L?ocid=BingNewsSerp%7Cdate=June 8, 2023 |access-date=June 10, 2023
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 ATU 100 Years. Amalgamated Transit Union. 1992.

Works cited

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.