The TTC says it will be moving forward with implementing random drug and alcohol testing for the transit service’s employees.
In a memo sent to staff Monday, TTC CEO Andy Byford said random testing will go ahead now that the TTC’s board of directors has approved funding for the program.
“In 2011, random testing was added to the (Fitness for Duty) policy, though funding was not approved and, as such, that part of the program was not implemented,” Byford said in the written statement. “With the board’s funding approval in March, however, we will now take steps over the next few months to finalize the program including hiring a third party to administer and implement random alcohol and drug testing at the TTC.”
Speaking to CP24 Tuesday, Byford said in 2015, there were 58 cases of either actual impairment or employees who refused to take a drug test and so far this year, there have been 28 cases.
“That’s only three months into the year. So we have to do the right thing, we have to put our customers’ safety first," he said.
The TTC and its largest union have been debating the Fitness for Duty policy in arbitration for the better part of five years and Byford says it has gone on too long.
"The head of the union has actually said today, let’s take this to an injunction then if we are going to impose this, let’s have an injunction, let’s go to court. I actually agree with Mr. Kinnear on that. Let’s get it to court," Byford said. "At the end of the day, I’m not interested in what individuals do on the weekend but I have to make sure the TTC is the safe as possible for its operators, for other road users and critically for our customers."
Byford added the random drug testing is common practice in the United States and in the United Kingdom.
The head of the union representing TTC employees, however, told CTV News on Tuesday that there is no evidence that random drug and alcohol testing for transit employees in some U.S. cities has improved safety.
“Our members are very upset,” ATU Local 113 President Bob Kinnear said. “This is just the most recent violation of our collective agreement and our members are calling us and saying Mr. Byford should live up to the commitments he makes to us if he expects us to live up to the commitments that we made to them.”
Currently the TTC administers drug tests on people prior to the start of their employment with the transit agency. Byford said they can also test people who they have reason to believe are under the influence.
"What we are saying is since 2011 we have tried to get in the final piece in the jigsaw to issue a deterrent really, which is random testing," he said.
Kinnear said that his union is opposed to random drug and alcohol testing due to the potential impact on the privacy of TTC employees.
“Mr. Byford said he doesn’t care what employees were doing two or three days ago but this testing will in fact infringe upon that,” he said.
