City of Hamilton transit workers announce strike date

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton’s transit union, ATU Local 107, has voted to reject the City’s four-year Collective Agreement offer at their member meeting held on Sunday, November 5, 2023. The union has set a strike date of Thursday, November 9, 2023, at the start of the service day, at which time no regular HSR service or myRide on demand service will be available throughout the City.

The City is advising residents to make alternative arrangements beginning Thursday, November 9, 2023, including walking, carpooling, utilizing the City’s carpool, carshare, taxi, bikeshare, smart commute and e-scooter programs and working from home if possible. DARTS specialized transit service will not be affected.

The City will continue making updates available to the community as they become available with updates posted on the City's website.

The City’s offer to the ATU Local 107 would mean that Hamilton transit operators would earn a salary of $79,726 in the final year of the Agreement.

Quick Facts

• Amalgamated Transit Unit (ATU) Local 107 is the City's second largest bargaining union with over 800 members that represents HSR bus operators, mechanics, and other transit workers.
• ATU Local 107’s Collective Agreement expired at the end of 2022.
• Since February 2023, the City of Hamilton, and the ATU Local 107 have been meeting at the bargaining table to reach a negotiated contract settlement.
• On August 24, 2023, ATU Local 107 held a strike vote, where members voted in favour of a strike.
• On September 20, 2023, the two sides met with the assistance of a conciliator appointed by the Minister of Labour to assist both sides in achieving a negotiated settlement.
• On September 20, 2023, the City of Hamilton announced that it will seek a formal no-board notice from the Minister of Labour in negotiations with the ATU Local 107 with the goal of hastening the process and expediting an agreement.
• On October 8, 2023, the Ontario Minister of Labour released a 'no-board' notice. The issuance of this notice starts the timelines for a legal strike or lockout that is permitted upon the 17th day from the date of its issue. The parties have been in a legal strike/lockout position as of 12:01 am on October 25, 2023.
• The City and the ATU Local 107 returned to the bargaining table on October 23 and October 24, 2023.
• On October 24, the City presented its final offer to the ATU Local 107.
• The ATU Local 107 presented the final offer as an agenda item at their membership meeting on November 5, 2023.
• In September, the City reached an Agreement with CUPE Local 5167 after a no-board report was issued. A four-year Agreement was reached before the 17-day deadline, which included a 3.75% salary increase in year one and a 3% increase in years two, three, and four, which is the same offer rejected by the ATU Local 107.