To the Membership of ATU Local 583

Mike Mahar – President/Business Agent:

As this is the first newsletter following the swearing-in of Officers for the 2026/28 term, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported me in the recent election. I remain committed to maintaining that support and to earning the confidence of those who chose to support another candidate.

During elections, candidates often take strong positions on who should represent the Local and how that representation should look. As in the past, now that the election has concluded, my goal is to provide the support needed for each representative to be successful in their respective roles as Officers, Stewards, and Committee Members of Local 583 so we can all fulfil the oaths of Office we have sworn to uphold to our Membership. Working together is essential to the strength and success of our Local. It is the health and welfare of our Members that is the driving force behind everything we do.

I look forward to the challenges we will face in the term ahead and to enhancing the unity we have within our new team.

And finally, I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to those Board members that were not successful in their bid for re-election. I got to see first hand the dedication and unselfishness you gave freely to our Membership every day and will be forever grateful for that. You made a huge difference. I hope you are as proud of yourselves as I am of you. Thank you.

Renée Dunn – Executive Vice President/Assistant Business Agent

Congratulations to all the candidates that were successful in the December elections and thank you to the Membership for putting your faith in me as your Vice President for another term. This election was a tough one, with a lot of discourse from many different factions within our Membership. As our President has said above, now is the time for unity and solidarity and I will do my best to ensure each Member is heard.

If you have a concern or a question, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or another rep you feel comfortable speaking to. We are here for you.

Harry Lew – Financial Secretary/Treasurer:

I want to thank you, the Members, for re-electing me as FST of ATU 583.

I truly appreciate the trust you’ve placed in me, and I’m ready to keep working hard for all of you. Your support means a lot, and I’m committed to making sure we continue moving in the right direction.

There’s a lot of work ahead, and I’m focused on making sure we address the issues that matter most to our Members. I’m here to listen, to fight for what’s right, and to do everything I can to continue to improve our Union and the lives of those we represent.

Suvinder Gill – Recording Secretary – Maintenance/Office:

Thank you to the members for the support in the election this past December. I am very thankful for the encouragement and kind words during the campaign.

For the members who do not know me, I am a member of ATU Local 583 for 17 years. I started in Community Shuttle and later moved to Big Bus in late 2009. After that, I drove Conventional. I also worked from December 2020 to December 2025 on the Accident Appeal Board.

Of course, my new role is as your Recording Secretary –Maintenance/Office. I have many things to learn and I am looking forward to growing in this new position.

ATU Local 583 Steward & Committee Opportunities 2026-2028 Term

If you are interested in being a Steward or joining any of the below committees for the 2026-2028 term, please email President@atu583.com and copy Jacinda.w@atu583.com with your full name and employee number and which position you would like to partake in. If you are currently a Steward or a member of any of the above committees you will need to RESUBMIT your information for consideration for the new term.

Stewards:
What to expect: Monthly Steward meetings. Representing your fellow Members during call ins (training will be available for those that have not done a call in before). Dispersing information from the Officers. Bringing pertinent information to the Officers for clarification.
Experience is not necessary as there are opportunities for training. What is most important is a desire to assist your fellow Members and work with the Local 583 Executive Board.

Committees:

Social Committee – What to expect: Monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of each month. Assisting in planning for ATU 583 social events, some volunteering for those same events.
Political Action Committee – What to expect: Monthly meetings on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Assisting in political action planning for ATU 583 and our affiliates, some volunteering for organizing.
Women’s Committee – What to expect: Monthly meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Bringing forward concerns related to women in the workplace. Some volunteer opportunities.
Health and Safety Committee – What to expect: Monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of each month. Bringing forward health and safety concerns from the workplace.
Please be advised that any committee listing volunteerism will require its members to be available to volunteer. If you have any questions regarding volunteering please do not hesitate to reach out for clarification. We look forward to hearing from you!

Accident Appeal Process
If you are given a preventable accident, you have the right to appeal that decision by taking it to the Accident Appeal Board. Be sure to follow the timelines on your chargeability notice if you wish to appeal.

Once you have put in your desire to appeal a date will be set for you.

The Appeal Board consists of 2 Operators and 1 exempt Trainer.

Because the Accident Appeal process is non-disciplinary in nature and our reps are unable to speak/ask questions – we do not typically send a rep during the appeal process. If you would like someone there with you for moral support, we can still send a rep. It is just important to understand that their role is not the same as it is in a call in.

Once the appeal process is complete you will have the accident deemed preventable or not.

If it is deemed preventable, you could be issued a call in slip for a meeting with your Employee Support Supervisor. Because a call in could potentially lead to discipline, we always recommend taking a rep with you at this point.

Meeting Attendance and Refund Cheques

We have had quite a few inquiries on this one recently. For those that may be unaware, per the Local bylaws, if you attend 50% of all Membership Meetings held in a calendar year, you will receive a $150.00 “refund” cheque. You must be present at said meeting(s) for at least 30 minutes or the entirety of the meeting – whichever is less.

To have received the 2025 refund cheque for attendance you will have had to be present at a minimum of 7 meetings. This is because we had a Special Called Meeting to discuss the Memorandum last March.

You can find this information under Article 103 – Membership, in your copy of the Local bylaws.

Leaving the Bargaining Unit/Ceasing Dues

Periodically a Member of 583 will take on a new position within a new bargaining unit. When this happens, that Member will pay dues to Local 583 in addition to the dues they pay to their new BU, until their reversion rights end.

Per the Local bylaws, Article 103 – Membership, “It shall be the responsibility of the Member leaving the Bargaining Unit to cease their Membership and inform the Local Union Office. All dues premiums shall be applicable until date of notification.”

If you are changing bargaining units please let us know as soon as possible so we can assist with ceasing your dues appropriately.

COPE 397 /jw