Bob Kinnear (b. 1970–1971) is a union leader in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada. He was the leader of the

Amalgamated Transit Union The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) is a labor organization in the United States and Canada that represents employees in the public transit industry. Established in 1892 as the Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America, the un ...

Local 113 (ATU 113) from 2003 to 2017. Kinnear joined the TTC as a janitor in 1988 at age 18 and worked his way up as bus operator and subway guard/operator before becoming union head. ATU 113 represents approximately 9,000 TTC workers and approximately 200 workers at

Transdev Transdev, formerly Veolia Transdev, is a French-based international private-sector company which operates public transport. It has operations in 17 countries and territories as of November 2020. History The group was formed by the merger of V ...

(

Viva Rapid Transit Viva is the bus rapid transit operations of York Region Transit in Regional Municipality of York, York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service forms the spine for YRT's local bus service, providing seamless transit service across York Region with c ...

) in

York Region The Regional Municipality of York, also called York Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Simcoe and Toronto. The region was established after the passing of then Bill 102, An Act to Establish The Regional M ...

. Kinnear was removed on February 3, 2017 by the local's international parent ATU and replaced with an interim trusteeship. His father, Larry Kinner, was part of the ATU 113 leadership for 12 years before departing to work for the parent ATU as international vice-president until 2016.

Controversy and labour actions

Kinnear is a controversial labor leader due to job actions involving his union. He has been vocal about issues surrounding employee safety and security due to numerous attacks on the employees he represents. He also demands that bus, train, and streetcar drivers, as well as cashiers, make $27–29 an hour (base wage) with many making more than $100,000. The ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...

'' once called him the "most hated man in Toronto" Bob Kinnear was head of Local 113 at the time of the following job actions: *

2006 Toronto Transit Commission wildcat strike The 2006 Toronto Transit Commission wildcat strike was an unlawful strike in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that occurred on May 29, 2006. It was initiated by 800 Toronto Transit Commission mechanical and janitorial workers who were protesting propose ...

* 2008 TTC strike * 2008

strike in

* 2011-February 2012 Viva strike in York Region (co-ordinated with ATU Local 1587 so the North and South-west division of

York Region Transit York Region Transit (YRT) is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road. YRT operates 65 full-time, rush hour and limited routes, 35 school services, and six Viva bus ...

would also be on strike).

References

Trade unionists from Ontario Living people Activists from Toronto 1970 births Amalgamated Transit Union people {{Canada-activist-stub

Controversy and labour actions

See also

Further reading

References