Honoring Our Legacy of Resistance
Across North America, transit workers are facing one of the most defining moments in our history. We’re confronting fierce attacks on public transportation, violence in our communities, growing threats to worker safety, and an industry that often forgets the people who make it run. But the ATU has never backed down from a fight, and we’re not going to start now.
The history of our Union tells a powerful story. It is a story of resistance, leadership, mentorship, and organizing. It’s the story of what happens when working people stand together and refuse to be ignored.
Conference Boards Prepare for the Fights Ahead
From coast to coast, our Conference Boards are doing exactly what unions do in moments like this. We prepare for the fights ahead. ATU Conference Boards bring leaders together to share strategies and build coordinated responses to the challenges our members face every day. That kind of preparation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because solidarity is our greatest power.
When employers and politicians try to divide us by region, country, job classification, or employer, we respond by locking arms and moving forward together. Preparation today means power tomorrow, and our Union is building both.
Workers at the Table
That same spirit is driving real change through our Joint Industry Councils. These Councils are proving that when workers at private transit companies have a seat at the table, the entire industry is better for it. Instead of decisions made behind closed doors by people who have never operated a bus, run a train, or turned a wrench, our members are shaping policies that affect safety, service, and working conditions. That’s worker power in action, and we continue to expand and defend it.
Standing for Justice Beyond the Workplace
Our Union’s commitment to justice extends far beyond transit. In Minneapolis, our siblings in Local 1005 stood shoulder to shoulder with workers and community members during the “Day for Truth & Freedom,” opposing destructive ICE operations in their city. The ATU stood firmly with them.
We said enough of the violence used against people exercising their right to protest. Enough of the detention of children. And enough of the tragic deaths that occur during these operations. We called on federal authorities to end the chaos inflicted on Minnesota communities and to respect the civil and human rights of all people. Unions should always stand on the right side of history, so when workers and communities stand up for dignity and freedom, the ATU will always stand with them.
When Workers Fight Back, Workers Win
Nowhere is worker power more evident than in the fights our Locals are waging and winning on the ground. Local 689-Washington, D.C.’s recent Battle’s Transportation strike victory reminds us that when transit workers fight back, we can and do win. In Canada, Local 113-Toronto, ON, fought alongside Electricians and Skilled Trades and Facility Maintenance Technicians working for embattled Eglington LRT line contractor Crosslink to successfully join our ranks, and now they have a real voice on the job. These victories never come easy. They’re earned through solidarity, determination, and workers who refuse to accept less than what they deserve.
Nothing is ever handed to us. Every gain we’ve made has come from workers organizing, standing firm, and demanding respect.
Safety Is a Right, Not a Privilege
Safety remains one of the most urgent struggles of our time. Transit workers should never have to choose between earning a paycheck and making it home safely. Yet assaults and unsafe conditions continue to threaten our members.
That’s why the work being done by the Local 1300-Baltimore, MD, Safety Committee is so critical. Their efforts show what happens when workers take ownership of safety and demand accountability. Safety isn’t optional. It’s a basic right, and the ATU will never stop fighting for it.
Honoring Black History Month
In February, for Black History Month, we honor Black transit workers whose labor and leadership have shaped the ATU and the labor movement. From historic organizing fights to today’s struggles for justice and dignity, Black workers have always been pioneers.
Their contributions are foundational to our Union’s strength and our shared victories. Honoring Black history means recognizing that the fight for equity and fairness continues and recommitting ourselves to a Union that stands for all workers, always.
The Power of Pride and Service
Two stories in this issue remind us that the true strength of the ATU is found in the people who show up every day, not for recognition, but because they believe in the work.
When Local 689-Washington, DC, Station Manager Maurice Yarber was recognized with an Emmy for a news story on his extraordinary service to riders in Washington, D.C., it shone a national spotlight on something ATU members already know: professionalism, compassion, and leadership live on our platforms and behind the controls every single day. Maurice wasn’t recognized for doing something flashy. He earned it by treating riders with dignity, by knowing his community, and by proving that public service still matters. It was my honor to travel to D.C. to meet him and witness his incredible kindness firsthand.
That same pride echoes in the remarkable 45-year career of Al Wells of Local 682-Fort Wayne, IN. Al didn’t just work in transit. He built a life around it. For nearly half a century, he served his community with joy, consistency, and Union pride so deep that he wore it in a permanent tattoo on his arm. His story reminds us that this Union is built not just by moments of protest or contract fights, but by decades of dedication from members who believed in something bigger than themselves.
The Road Forward
These stories represent the very best of the ATU. They remind us that every gain we’ve made and every fight still ahead are rooted in solidarity, courage, and pride in our work. The road forward isn’t going to be easy. But powerful interests are no match for organized workers who know their worth. I’m proud of this Union. Proud of our members. And I’m confident that when we stay united, organized, and ready, there’s no force strong enough to stop us.