ATU International President Larry Hanley has appointed and the General Executive Board has approved Local 1505-Winnipeg, MB, President John Callahan as the 17th International Vice President.
Brother Callahan began his career in public transit in 1988 when he was hired as an apprentice mechanic for the City of Winnipeg transit system. He earned his "Red Seal" certification and subsequently served as local shop steward from 2001-2004 until he was elected as ABA maintenance/executive board member, where he served for three consecutive terms.
In 2013, Brother Callahan was elected president of the Local and was reelected in 2016. Throughout his tenure, Callahan has earned a well-deserved reputation as an advocate for members' safety and security on the job and as a strong negotiator. Currently, he is the western representative on the ATU Canada Executive Board.
Brother Callahan has also been a leader in the Canadian labour movement, serving on the executive board of the Manitoba Federation of Labour for the past four years and currently serves as co-chair of the Federation's Health and Safety Committee. He has also been active in community affairs as chair of the Citizens for Transit in Winnipeg to fight for more and better transit.