How Hamilton schools are preparing for Thursday's transit worker strike

Hamilton schools are discussing what they'll do ahead of Thursday's planned transit worker strike — and one local college says some classes may go virtual.

Mohawk College said in a memo in late October that tests and exams will continue as scheduled, but some classes could move online.

"This will be decided at the program level and communicated to students directly," reads the memo.

A spokesperson for Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board said in an email Tuesday that it is "exploring possible options" to support students during a strike and "will share that information directly to impacted families if transportation support can be organized." 

Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board didn't respond to CBC before deadline.

Steve Lapierre, spokesperson for Conseil scolaire Viamonde, said most of its students take school buses, so there's no plan in place.

Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir didn't respond to CBC before deadline.

McMaster University, in a notice on its website, suggested people plan ahead to find other ways to get to campus.

It makes no mention of remote learning.

"Everyone is encouraged to be kind to others, flexible, and considerate of the impact this will have on students, faculty, and staff, who use these services to commute to campus," reads the notice.

Students using U-Pass will get refunds on a pro-rated basis for distribution after 10 days of lost service, according to the city.

The city also says people who bought a monthly pass will get a refund on their Presto card after the strike. The refund will depend on how long the strike lasts.

Why transit workers are going on strike

ATU Local 107, the union representing HSR workers, said wages were a major issue. The union previously said while non-union city staff were offered big raises earlier this year — up to 15 per cent — transit workers were offered a 3.2 per cent increase.

It said the current offer leaves workers struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. 

The city, meanwhile, said it offered a 3.75 per cent increase retroactive to January 2023, and three per cent increases in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

That would equate to a salary of $79,726 in the final year of the agreement (2026), the city said.

In the meantime, the city has encouraged riders to make arrangements including walking, carpooling, car share, cabs, bike share, e-scooters or other options.

Acting city manager Carlyle Khan said in a Monday afternoon media briefing there are no plans to make other commuting options cheaper or more accessible, saying it's still "early days.