CAN-AM 2026 kicked off in Windsor, Ontario, and International President John Costa's message was clear. Our Locals are showing up and winning despite the odds, on the picket line, at the bargaining table, and in the halls of government, on both sides of the border.
This year alone, there have been strikes and strike authorizations across five Locals, strong new contracts from Texas to Alberta to Ontario, and hundreds of new members organized into the ATU family, from school bus workers in Hamilton, ON, to airport shuttle workers in Kenner, LA. Our political work is paying off, too. Chicago Locals helped secure $1.5 billion in transit funding. The BUILD America 250 Act passed the U.S. House, and Bill C-14 expanded legal protections for transit workers across Canada.
As Costa reminded the room, "The issues we face, whether it's safety, fair wages, or working conditions, don't stop at the border. In fact, I don’t believe in borders. These are universal challenges. They require a united front and collaborative solutions. That’s why we’re here today. That's what the CAN-AM has always been about. One union, one fight!”