Beginning Monday, TTC employees will no longer be subjected to random drug and alcohol testing after an arbitrator ruled the transit company’s policies as unjustifiable, unreasonable, and unconstitutional. The arbitrator’s report highlighted the lack of scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of these tests, deeming them unreliable.
For years, TTC had the authority to conduct mouth swabs and breathalyzer tests on employees at any time. The President of the company’s largest employee union hailed the arbitrator’s decision as a significant win for workers’ privacy rights.
Marvin Alfred, President of Local 113 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, condemned the testing policy, stating that it resulted in numerous workers losing their jobs due to inaccurate and unreliable tests. He criticized the program, arguing that public funds could have been better allocated to more effective safety measures.