Council approves deal with Hamilton transit workers, which includes new health-care supplement

City council has ratified the tentative agreement transit workers reached with the City of Hamilton on Thursday. 

In an emailed news release, the city said councillors unanimously approved the four-year deal, which the workers and their employer negotiated after a week-long strike. The city also shared details about what's in the deal. 

The collective agreement, which ends Dec. 31, 2026, includes wage increases of 3.75 per cent in the first year, and three per cent in each year following. The city said this is in line with the wage increases included in the collective agreement recently ratified by CUPE Local 5167, which represents more than 3,200 inside-outside workers. 

Eric Tuck, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 107, told CBC Hamilton it's nice to finally have the contract settled.

"When you're pushed to the streets to actually go out on strike, you want to make sure that you get [a resolution] that's acceptable to your members. And with an 81 per cent approval rating, that's exactly what we did," Tuck told CBC Hamilton.

He added that workers were hoping for a bigger wage increase, but were able to negotiate a new $1,000 health-care spending account for each member to draw on to supplement their benefits. They also negotiated two new bereavement days, and a $750 signing bonus, he said.  

"That actually puts my money back into my members pockets," Tuck said.

"We know that life is getting more expensive for everyone, and I'm proud that we were able to reach an agreement that was fair to our employees and the people of Hamilton," Mayor Andrea Horwath said in a statement. 

Bus service resumed Nov.17 — just before the Grey Cup, during which striking workers had threatened to disrupt a shuttle bus.  

Riders told CBC Hamilton they struggled to get around during the strike, with some saying they supported the union's demands.

During and leading up to the strike, members said they wanted a more significant wage increase than the city said it was prepared to offer. Members shared stories of struggling with the cost of living, and called for better working conditions, including more frequent washroom breaks. 

Tuck said the union previously reached deals on those issues but members felt they had not been fulfilled. He said ATU dealt with them in arbitration and will keep working to meet workers' needs. 

He said transit workers have become "so much more than just a bus operator," as they need to develop strong interpersonal skills and are responsible for passenger safety. 

After a busy year, Tuck says he's looking forward to a more relaxed one ahead with an eye toward retirement.