Hamilton city workers who aren't 'fully vaccinated' by May 31 will be fired
CBC
Hamilton city workers who have not provided proof of full vaccination or a valid medical exemption have until May 31 to do so, or lose their job.
Council voted to amend its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination verification policy during a special meeting Wednesday.
The new policy defines fully vaccinated as a person with two shots and does not currently include boosters.
Twelve councillors were in favour of changing the city's approach to result in termination for those who don't comply, while Ward 7 and Ward 14 representatives Esther Pauls and Terry Whitehead voted against it.
City council first approved a vaccine verification mandate on Aug. 26. However, it allowed staff members who hadn't received a COVID-19 shot or who didn't want to share their vaccine status to undergo regular testing and keep working.
That will longer be an option under the new policy, which is also similar to one Burlington announced last week, giving employees until April 1 to submit proof.
"The ultimate intention was always to end the program. That it would not carry on in perpetuity," said Lora Fontana, Hamilton's executive director of human resources.
"We've now reached the point where we need to make other decisions and recommend termination in order to preserve the health and safety of our workforce."
Eric Tuck, president of ATU Local 107, which represents HSR workers, said he felt testing was a reasonable alternative and the union had a "clear agreement" with the city that no one would be fired.
"To take somebody's employment away I think is unreasonable and unfair," he said on Thursday, adding whether or not the union will launch a legal challenge will be up to its members but he believes "we should be challenging it."
Ninety-three per cent of the city's workforce are considered to be fully vaccinated. Roughly 474 people were undergoing by-weekly testing and another 68 are on unpaid leave because they weren't willing to take part in the program.
The city has been receiving tests free of charge from the province so far, but supply is becoming scare and officials have not been able to confirm a steady stock going forward as they're prioritized for hospitals and long-term care homes.
Fontana said questions have also been raised about whether the testing, which has been happening on Mondays and Thursdays, is effective.
"We feel this may not be enough to ensure a safe work environment," she said.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.