Here's what you need to know about the potential HSR transit strike

As early as tomorrow, Oct. 25, there is potential for a transit strike as negotiations between the city and local transit union break down 

On Oct. 23, 2023, the City of Hamilton released a statement informing residents that transit services may be disrupted in the upcoming week, starting as soon as Oct.25.  

This possible strike comes in the middle of ongoing negotiations with the Amalgamated Transit Union Hamilton, also known as ATU Local 107. ATU Local 107 shared with Global News Canada their main focuses in these negotiations has been to ensure that their workers are paid fairly and that the Hamilton light rail transit system is managed as a public resource. 

ATU Local 107 have been actively against the privatization of the LTR system, publicly supporting the Keep Transit Public movement and it’s active petition.  

These negotiations between ATU Local 107 and the city have been ongoing since Feb. 2023. With no agreement during negotiations, the City of Hamilton shared that they had requested a no-board notice to resolve the issue.  

A no-board notice is submitted to Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development who introduce a panel to the negotiations. This move ensures that the discussion has a mediator to help an agreement come into place. 

One stipulation in a no-board notice is that after the seventeenth day of the notice being given, strikes and lock-outs can be conducted legally. For the City of Hamilton and ATU Local 107, the seventeenth day since the notice was given will be Oct. 25. which is why the possibility of a transit strike begins then.

Folks who rely on transit to get around the city, including many McMaster University students, are being strongly encouraged to seek alternative methods of transportation to minimize difficulties that could occur during a potential strike period.

This is an ongoing story.