City tasks former bus drivers with security on buses
Union representing Transit employees would rather see Bear Clan in charge of on-board security
The City of Winnipeg has decided to hire former Winnipeg Transit drivers to provide security for both operators and passengers on city buses.
In a release Thursday the city says the five inspectors described as "highly trained" former drivers "uniquely positioned to be a resource for both operators and passengers" will start immediately.
The move follows recommendations made in a report to council triggered by the February 2017 killing of driver Irvine Jubal Fraser and subsequent calls by the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 for improved worker safety.
The release says theinspectors will help passengers with transit-related information and are enforcement officers forPublic Transit By-laws.
Fraser was stabbed on the job on Feb. 14, 2017, at the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry campus. His death led the city to usher in a package of transit-safety improvements that include the testing of new bus shields, the expansion of on-board surveillance systems and $590,000 in annual funding for some form of on-board security presence.
Until Thursday the question was whether the new security complement would be comprised of members of the Winnipeg Police Service, brand new Winnipeg Transit security workers or private security workers.
The decision was made by the city's transit advisory committee (TAC) a body created in the wake of Fraser's death.
According to Thursday'srelease, the TAC is also recommending Transit start talks withpolice about the Bear Clan's possible involvement in future safety initiatives and the possibility of equipping its inspectors with vests and providing additional training.
Decision not union's top choice
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 presidentAleemChaudhary previously told CBC News it would prefer to see police officers providing security on buses.
But after Thursday's announcement Chaudharysaid the Bear Clan would be have been the better choice.
"They're trained for it and we believe they'll do a much, much better job because they understand they're sensitive to the people with addictions problems or psychological they can handle it much better because they're street-trained," he said.
"Whereas assoon as a supervisor comes on a bus, they have no respect whatsoever the Bear Clan, they know the people, they know how to talk to the people [and] they know how to de-escalate situations."
Chaudhary also said five inspectors won't be enough protect passengers and drivers, pointing to an assault he says happened to a Transit supervisor Thursday morning.
He says the supervisor had removed a man from a bus around 11:30 a.m. when the passenger turned and pushed the supervisor up against the bus.
"It's totally outrageous and I think it's not going to have any effect for our operators or our passengers as far as security goes," he said.
He says the union has started talkingwith the Bear Clan about the possibility of working with the group for security.
"I envision that they would be able to put about 40 people out in a day on different routes and jumping from bus to bus," he said, adding he'd ultimately like to see police and Bear Clan members working together on bus safety.
"To be honest with you I think the two of them together would be a wonderful thing for our city."
Councillor Matt Allard, who's in charge of the public works committee and sits on the Transit Advisory Committee, told CBCNews transit inspectors are a more efficient use of $590,000 than Winnipeg Police Officers.
With files from Bartley Kives and Susan Magas
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