TTC workers first began complaining of suspected COVID-19 cases at their Queensway Division, where eight staffers had gotten sick.

Today the transit company said in a release they were laying off 1,200  employees over the coming weeks in response to a dramatic decline in ridership due to the virus and a loss of $90 million in monthly revenue.

Earlier in the day the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), which represents TTC workers, had called on Toronto Public Health (TPH) to conduct COVID-19 tests on employees at the Evans and Kipling Aves. Division, where it said four workers have contracted the virus and four others had symptoms.

“Our concerns are that this is an outbreak in this garage,” ATU Canada President John Di Nino says.

Earlier this month, some 33 bus drivers walked off the job refusing to work at Queensway, demanding more personal protective equipment (PPE) to shield them from the novel coronavirus.

“We do not want to lose a member in the line of duty or any of the public who could be potentially affected by COVID-19,” Di Nino vows.

TTC officials say  1,000 transit operators and 200 non-unionized employees will be affected by the temporary lay offs.

The TTC plans to introduce a salary freeze for non-unionized employees, reduce the use of overtime across the organization, forgo seasonal hires and “delay all non-essential capital projects.”