Photo shows a HSR supervisor car on the right, with a HSR 60-foot articulated bus to its left. Both are waiting at an intersection during a red light.
A Hamilton Street Railway supervisor vehicle and articulated bus in Downtown Hamilton in late June 2020 Credit: Joey Coleman / The Public Record

Hamiltonians let City Hall know that kicking two immune-compromised HSR bus operators to the curb during the COVID pandemic is unacceptable to us. On Wednesday, The Public Record and other media outlets brought Hamiltonians the story of two bus operators on long-term disability who were terminated by the City of Hamilton.

Following the publication of the story, the City and Union representing the operators met and reached an agreement to reinstate them.

In a statement issued this afternoon, ATU 107 president Eric Tuck states:

The Union is grateful that the employer has agreed to re-instate the two employees immediately. They are working co-operatively to do a full independent medical review of the two individuals current medical situation, and to factor in the Covid 19 component.

Furthermore, the parties have agreed to a more inclusive review process going forward to ensure that all relevant information is presented prior to termination, under frustration of contract.