The head of a St. Albert transit operator union is calling for increased safety for drivers as part of a wider campaign among Edmonton transit workers.
The campaign, which ran from June 13 to 25, had transit workers wearing a green arm band with the union’s logo and the slogan: “We deserve to be safe.” Some demands in the campaign included hiring additional transit peace officers, and for the provincial government to address the growing number of people in the Edmonton region who don’t have access to housing.
Darlene Malayko, an elected representative for St. Albert drivers from the Amalgamated Transit Union – Local #569, said drivers in St. Albert often go to the same places as Edmonton transit operators.
“We don’t want to get out of our buses and go to the washroom,” Malayko said about stops at Kingsway Transit Centre. “Drivers are assaulted … passengers have told me they don’t feel safe either, especially at night.”
Steve Bradshaw, president of Amalgamated Transit Union — Local #569, said the union would like to see immediate solutions to safety improvements for both drivers and riders, in addition to solutions to the “big-picture problem,” which he said is a lack of housing and care for vulnerable populations.
“They need a place to shelter, they need some warmth, and they’re attracted to wherever they can go,” Bradshaw said, noting people often come to the transit centre to use drugs.
Bradshaw said he believes the City of Edmonton will not recover its pre-pandemic ridership until it addresses these issues with its transit system.
In terms of immediate solutions to make drivers feel more safe, Bradshaw said his union has been calling on a significant increase in peace officers for more than a year. While Bradshaw said the City of Edmonton has increased peace officer presence recently, he noted he would like to see additional officers incorporated into Edmonton city council’s budget talks this fall.
Malayko said St. Albert drivers don’t have transit police officers as their Edmonton counterparts do.
“In St. Albert, evening drivers will do their last drop offs, and there’s nobody,” Malayko said, noting that drivers have radios that don’t always work. “Who would they call anyway?”
There are cameras on the buses, Malayko said, but noted these don’t keep drivers safe in the moment. Additionally, while some St. Albert buses have shields to protect drivers when they are seated and driving the bus, St. Albert's electric bus fleet does not.
Similar to Bradshaw, Malayko said in addition to immediate supports for transit drivers, the “gap in services to marginalized individuals” needs to be met with more government action.
“This isn’t a problem that’s easily addressed,” Malayko said. “It’s not something you can just throw money at … this is going to take work from all areas [of government] and then also to work together with the community.”
