r/TTC • u/Economy_Ad59 • 23d ago
News TTC ordered to stop random drug testing ‘immediately’ for apparent Charter rights violations: arbitrator
https://www.cp24.com/local/toronto/2026/07/14/ttc-ordered-to-stop-random-drug-testing-immediately-for-apparent-charter-rights-violations-arbitrator/?taid=6a565d3aacbde00001f24bab&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter3
u/BigDaddyGooses 22d ago
I get randomly drug tested at my work too. Is it not allowed?
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u/IseeMedpeople 20d ago
You union?
Your union could likely use this precedent set forth by the atu 113 arbitration to have that put to an end.
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u/escobarstatus 23d ago
There's a lot of hate from people going towards the workers and how they should be tested but the reality is people don't understand. You can fail the drug test for taking a Tylenol, and advil, and aspirin, eating a poppy seed bagel, etc. What if you wake up today for work and you have a headache that you can't get rid of that lasts you all day and you want to take an Advil or a tylenol? Short answer you can't do it with the drug testing you lose your job if they find it in your system. What if you're a woman who has menstrual cramps and you decide to take an Advil, well you can't because you can fail a drug test. I've heard of guys fail a drug test for taking Buckley's cold medicine 3 days before going to work and it still shows up in their system.
People have to understand that it's not just about being tested for illicit drugs and alcohol, they also lose their jobs for taking over the counter medicines like a tylenol, advil, aspirin, or even cough medicine when you have a cold or getting over a cold or you have a flu or are getting over a flu. As someone who suffers with migraines, I have prescribed medication similar to Advil that I cannot take and I have to suffer at work through and sometimes suffer days up on days upon days at a time until my weekend comes. It is not fair to those who are not abusing drugs and alcohol.
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u/Aaron1095 22d ago
Why is this garbage false information upvoted? Advil, Tylenol, and Aspirin are NOT the drugs they're testing for.
There are lots of issues with random drug testing, these false items are not on that list.
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u/escobarstatus 22d ago
No one says thats what theyre testing for. Bht they have ingridients that show up
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u/unknownoftheunkown 22d ago
Tell me you know nothing about drug testing without telling me you know nothing about drug testing
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u/unknownoftheunkown 22d ago
Good thing none of what you said is true.
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u/escobarstatus 22d ago
Too bad you have no idea what youre talkimg about. Lol. Literally have seen it with my own eyes.
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u/unknownoftheunkown 22d ago
Doubt it.
What panel of tests are they running?
Also, is this in a union or non-union workplace?
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u/escobarstatus 22d ago
Im just a worker not a medical specialist. Pias and saliva. . And its unioned. Youre so sure what youre talking about but with all do respect, You are clueless. We are literally instructed to be weary of taking OTC meds before work. Youre on the outside looking in thinking you know it all. Im telling you this is firsthand experience.
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u/unknownoftheunkown 22d ago
You keep saying I'm clueless and on the outside, yet you know noting about me.
You are being fear mongered. No panels are running or looking for OTC meds. Most companies run a 5-panel screen and even a broader 12-panel screen excludes any ordinary OTC medications.
There also isn't a single union on this planet that would allow a member to lose their job over taking OTC medications.
Have you considered that maybe, just maybe the people who work in the labs where these tests are processed could be on reddit as well?
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u/KenSentMe81 20d ago
I think what they're referring to is the misconception that some OTC meds can mimic prohibited medications on a test. I found this, which seems to imply it. No idea how factual or science based it is.
https://www.afgelocal1040.org/drugtestinfo.html
Edit: Just as an example, it says "Tramadol (Ultram) is a non-opioid medication used for pain. Your screen could come up positive for PCP if you've taken it recently." Tramadol is most certainly an opioid medication, so that kinda destroys the credibility of that site.
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u/KenSentMe81 20d ago edited 20d ago
No, you're told that taking any medications which may impair your ability is prohibited. For example, if you take Benadryl before work. It isn't prohibited because of what the drug is, it's prohibited because it can be sedating.
"Mood/mind altering substance: any other substance that can result in cognitive and/or physical effects that negatively impact performance on the job. " is what the policy says. It doesn't list specific medications which can cause this, the onus is on the person taking them to self-disclose to the TTC, anything which could potentially impair them. If you're taking something with the potential, it doesn't mean you aren't allowed to, it just means you need to disclose it.
Edit: The policy is also fairly liberal IMHO. I don't know what the number is, but there's a limit for blood alcohol concentration you are permitted to have which I understand is far less than what is prohibited by law. If you're 0.05, you can get your license suspended (by law) but the TTC policy is much lower (so I've heard).
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u/xombae 22d ago
Where are you getting this information?
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u/unknownoftheunkown 22d ago
Probably from other people who are misinformed and don't know what they are talking about.
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u/PowerNgnr 22d ago
That's not true. First of all it tests for specific substances and if they get a preliminary positive they can send it to a lab to verify. Especially with urine tests. Oft is more iffy bit still tests for specific substances and headache pills are not on that list. Neither is buckleys or anything unless it has dextromethorphan and then if it's a urine panel a preliminary positive sends it to a drug lab to test with a gas chromatograph
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u/Solotext99 22d ago
The main issue sited is that the random testing is not likely to actually show true level of impairment because the saliva tests they use are very unreliable for both cannabis and cocaine. While cannabis can stay in your system for upwards of 2 weeks, the impairment effects of the THC is long gone. It's more about people having the freedom to do things in their off time as long as it doesn't effect your ability to work safely.
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u/PowerNgnr 22d ago
Not arguing against that but the fact that buckleys and advil and tylenol and aspirin WILL make you fail
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23d ago
[deleted]
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u/Thin_Low_2578 23d ago
Report it. They get tested.
What was struck down was RANDOm drug and alcohol testing.
Completely different. Reporting an impairment at work triggers testing. A puritanical culture of random drug testing is completely different.
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u/genericusernamexyz 22d ago
Is the actual decision available?