TTC allowed to test workers for drugs, alcohol: judge
Posted April 4, 2017 1:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
An Ontario court has ruled that Toronto’s public transit agency is allowed to randomly test its employees for drug and alcohol use.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has dismissed an injunction sought by the union representing thousands of Toronto Transit Commission workers, which argued the testing violated the workers’ privacy rights.
Associate Chief Justice Frank Marrocco says in his decision that public safety outweighs privacy concerns.
He says the evidence shows there is a demonstrated workplace drug and alcohol problem at the TTC.
Marrocco says he is satisfied that random testing will either detect an employee’s use of drugs or alcohol consumed too close in time to their shift, or act as a deterrent to those in “safety critical” positions.
The TTC says the testing will begin later this month.
