Transit union vows to fight Hamilton's vaccine mandate for city workers

The union representing Hamilton transit workers has vowed to fight the city's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees and warned it could cost $500,000 in "unnecessary litigation."

Eric Tuck, president of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 107, issued a statement Thursday, following a council vote on scrapping mandatory shots for employees that ended in a tie, meaning the mandate remains.

As it stands, workers who have not provided proof of vaccination by May 31 will lose their jobs.

"It is irresponsible for this City Council to cast a vote to terminate hard working employees, who have served on the front lines for the last 2 years during Covid19," the union statement read in part.

A staff report recommended the city drop its vaccine mandate to bring it in line with provincial directives.

It said 64 city employees were on unpaid leave for failing to disclose their vaccination status and 441 were regularly taking rapid antigen tests.

But council's vote on the change Wednesday ended in a deadlock of 6-6, leaving it in place.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger was among whose who voted to continue with mandatory shots for city workers.

"In my view, all of us need to do the right thing and participate in the solution," he said ahead of the vote.

"As our medical officer of health, Dr. [Elizabeth] Richardson has said many, many, many, many times over, vaccination is the answer to this problem. So, I stand by that, and I will continue to support those that are vaccinating, and I will not support the removal of the mandatory vaccination policy as it stands today."

Union says city should enforce masking on buses

ATU Local 107, which has about 800 members, has long opposed the mandate.

Tuck also quoted Dr. Richardson, saying she supported the recommendation to drop the requirement for proof of vaccination.

He said dropping the mandate is the right thing to do considering changes the province is shifting away from mandatory vaccination for certain spaces.

The union "vows to proceed with ... Speedy Arbitration," he wrote.

"This decision by City Council could cost local taxpayers upwards of $500,000.00 for unnecessary litigation," the statement read, adding that money could have been used to upgrade air treatment on buses.

Transit workers have continued to work during the pandemic, stated Tuck.

The city should be enforcing mandatory masks and physical distancing on buses, rather than forcing workers to get shots or be fired, he added, calling the result of council's vote "disrespectful and completely unfair."