“Solidarité, Solidarité” and “Notre Voix, Notre Pouvoir” were the chants heard across Gatineau, QC, as International President John Costa flew in from the California Conference Board in San Diego, CA, to Gatineau, QC, for the first day of the strike for our Local 1557 STO (Societe de Transport de l’Outaouais) workers in their fight for a fair and just contract. Joining Costa was International Vice President Manny Sforza, ATU Canada President John Di Nino, and Local 279-Ottawa, ON, President Noah Vineberg.
Costa pledged support from the International and urged our members to stand united. “I feel your strength and solidarity,” Costa told the fired-up crowd. “We are fed up with the disrespect STO has shown us. You deserve parity in your wages. We had hoped it wouldn’t come down to this for our 40,000 riders, who depend on us each day. But our Union has been down this road, this is our 15th strike in three years. Each time we won, and we will again. We will stand with you on the picket lines until you get what you deserve.”
After seeing the solidarity of our Union and International President Costa on the picket lines, STO management contacted Local 1557 President/Business Agent Olivier LaChance for contract talks in hopes of settling the strike. Costa, Sforza and Di Nino joined the negotiations to show management that our more 200,000 members across North America are behind our brothers and sisters at Local 1557 and their fight.
What’s clear is you don’t mess with the ATU. #NotreVoixNotrePouvoir