Bus service resumes Friday following tentative deal with Hamilton transit workers

Bus service in Hamilton will resume Friday on the heels of a tentative deal that was reached between the city and its transit workers after a week-long strike.

In a statement posted on X early Thursday morning, Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath said AUT Local 107, the union representing nearly 900 Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) workers, will present the deal to transit workers, including bus drivers.

“I know this disruption had very real impacts on people’s lives and I look forward to the full restoration of service as soon as possible,” Horwath said.

Details of the tentative agreement haven’t been released but the union was fighting for a living wage that keeps pace with inflation.

The week-long strike impacted thousands of commuters who rely on the HSR daily.

“The City has reached a tentative agreement with ATU Local 107. We’re hard at work getting service up and running and buses will resume in the morning on Friday, November 17,” HSR said in a post on X.

The deal comes as Hamilton prepares to host the Grey Cup on Sunday, with the Montreal Alouettes taking on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the CFL championship. With HSR buses back in service, fans will be able to take transit to and from Tim Hortons Field.

Last week, the union rejected what the city was calling its “final offer” and went on strike on November 9.

The strike action did not impact accessible transportation services offered by DARTS, a service available to residents with disabilities.

Workers have been without a contract since the end of 2022 and negotiations between the union and the city began in February.

With files from Michael Ranger and Nick Westoll