GO trains cancelled for ‘staff illnesses’

GO Transit is cancelling trains this week and possibly next because of “staff illnesses.”

As many as 10-15 train trips per day may be affected, according to Metrolinx, the transit agency that oversees GO bus and rail lines, as well as the Pearson airport UP Express.

“Cancellations are spread out across hundreds of daily UP and GO trips so the impact to customers is limited and they continue to have lots of options,” Anne Marie Aikins, the transit agency’s chief spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Star.

She did not answer a question about how many workers are currently off sick.

A post on the GO Transit website Monday morning warned customers to “plan ahead and give yourself extra time.”

“We are sorry to advise that due to staff illnesses we will need to cancel some train trips this week,” it read.

Transit ridership has taken a hit during the pandemic but is rebounding. GO and UP ridership has returned to pre-COVID levels on weekends, and is about 50 per cent there for weekdays, Aikins said.

GO and UP Express train staff work for Alstom, a private company contracted by Metrolinx. GO bus employees are employed directly by Metrolinx.

Aikins said the staff illnesses are affecting trains, not buses. But a strike vote by members of the union representing 2,200 GO bus operators and other transit staff could spell even more pain for commuters in the coming weeks.

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587 said early Monday that 93 per cent of its members voted in favour of going on strike if necessary.

The transit employees have been working under an expired contract since June 1. No date has been released for a potential strike.

The union representing Alstom workers also recently made some changes to its agreement with the company that effectively limit the number of hours employees can work, capping work hours to 48 per week down from 60, Gregory Vaughan, general chair, Division 660 of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, confirmed.

On Friday, the Star reported that Alstom, the company contracted to staff Metrolinx trains, sent a letter inviting unvaccinated drivers, customer service and maintenance workers who have been on unpaid leave since December, back to work.

Metrolinx introduced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for its employees on Nov 1.

Transit workers employed by Alstom who work on Metrolinx premises were expected to comply by Dec. 5, after which point roughly 30 employees were put on unpaid leave, according to the union representing Alstom workers.

But on July 29, Alstom began recalling those workers.

“As previously notified, from December 5, 2021, Metrolinx expected all employees to be fully vaccinated to work on their premises. We want to notify you that this is no longer a requirement for current employees,” reads a letter signed by Christelle Migayron, Alstom’s human resources business partner and obtained by the Star.

“We are recalling, from unpaid leave status, those employees who either self-identified as unvaccinated, or chose not to disclose vaccination status back to work by August 15, 2022.”

“Failure to respond to this notice by August 12, 2022 will be considered a resignation,” the letter goes on to say.

More than 1,000 Alstom employees work for Metrolinx rail services in operation and maintenance roles.