City reaches tentative agreement with Hamilton transit workers, avoiding strike

The City of Hamilton has avoided a transit strike after coming to a tentative agreement with Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) employees.

On Wednesday, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 107, which represents HSR bus operators, mechanics and other transit workers, reached an agreement with the city but did not release the details of the deal.

“I’d also like to express my appreciation to all of our staff at HSR for their commitment to transit and for working to maintain this vital service for our residents,” said HSR transit director Debbie Dalle Vedove in a statement on Wednesday night.

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ATU Local 107 president Eric Tuck told Global News before Wednesday’s negotiations that two offers were on the table.

The offers were for either a two per cent annual wage increase over four years or a roughly 1.8 per cent increase annually as part of a five-year deal.

The two sides would have been in a legal strike/lockout position at one minute past midnight on Thursday.

Tuck said any job action would have likely begun in the new year if a deal was not reached.