Calgary Transit union endorses criminal code change to protect transit workers against assault

The union representing Calgary Transit workers is endorsing one of the reccomendations made by the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) in response to a recent spate of violent attacks on public transit throughout the nation.

The association has made 27 recommendations to improve rider and staff safety on public transit, including a demand to hire more on-the-ground peace officers, special constables and police officers.

The president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 583, which represents Calgary Transit employees, says he's in favour of a recommendation to change the Canadian criminal code to strengthen penalties for the assault of transit employees by amending the subsection to include all transit workers, not just transit operators.

Local 583 has recorded several instances of abuse in Calgary between April 1 and April 20.

"We had eight assaults. Eight, what they refer to as 'code blues,'" said Mahar.

"So there's different levels of attacks against employees, and even those verbal ones –  where they're threatening them with their life or (making) derogatory remarks – those have a negative impact."

Mahar says abuse and attacks against employees have been happening for at least 15 to 20 years.

Mahar says typically between 40 to 60 incidents were reported annually, but in 2017 and 2018, those numbers spiked to 120 and 105 respectively.

Mahar says the magnitude and scale now is becoming alarming.

"We had a shooting on a bus. Where does that become acceptable by anybody, even by the criminal element?"

Mahar says the bus driver in the April 12 incident did all he could to get passengers to safety.

"That poor operator, probably not recognized for the work that he did," said Mahar.

"Rather than just stopping that bus and jumping up and running, he pulls that thing over so that everybody get off, conscientiously opens the doors for the people to be able to get off – not even knowing still at that time if he was going to be shot – he just sat there looking forward hoping that he didn't get killed."

Calgary police have issued an arrest warrant for 28-year-old Theoran Yellow Old Woman for six charges in connection to that shooting.  

TRANSIT ASSOCIATION SAYS MORE POLICE, SECURITY NEEDED

CUTA began its report on how to improve public safety last summer, though the issue took on new levels of importance over the winter as violent attacks were reported on transit in multiple cities.

On Monday, the organization published its list of recommendations.

"It's obvious, I think, to Canadians that we've got to address this issue," said association president Marco D'Angelo.

He said the federal government should also amend the Criminal Code to include specific offences against all transit workers, not just transit operators.

The recommendations emphasize that public transit systems reflect the communities they serve and that issues such as homelessness, substance use, and mental health impact transit systems when left unaddressed.

 "What we're asking for is there to be available at 24 hour access for people to get to a safe place to sleep, so that they're not finding a place to sleep on an LRT or in a station," said D’Angelo. 

"Transit is not a substitute for affordable housing or for health care."

D’Angelo adds that they would also like to see a harder stance taking against those using drugs illegally on transit.

"We're hoping that, that anyone that's consuming illegal drugs and transit is apprehended," said D’Angelo. 

"We want to see an accelerated handoff, to social services that are well funded, so that people can access the help that they need sooner rather than later."

With files from The Canadian Press