Posts by tag: Amalgamated Transit Unit 107

Posted by on 28 January

City of Hamilton and transit workers reach deal – no transit strike!

The City of Hamilton and it’s transit operators, mechanics and support workers have reached an tentative agreement.

News arrived in a city news release issued at 00:49 this morning:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City reaches tentative deal with transit union

HAMILTON, ON – January 28th, 2012 – The City of Hamilton and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 107 have reached a tentative agreement through collective bargaining. The two parties met all day Friday and into Saturday morning with a provincially-appointed mediator and were able to resolve the remaining outstanding issues.

“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement that allows us to continue to provide transit services that are essential to so many in our community,” said Gerry Davis, General Manager of Public Works. “Both parties have worked diligently to achieve a mutually satisfactory resolution that balances the interests of the City, employees and the citizens we serve.”

The ATU negotiating committee will be presenting the tentative agreement to their membership within the next week with a recommendation to accept the deal. An update will be provided to City Council at General Issues Committee on Monday, January 30th.

This means there will be no disruption to transit services in Hamilton. No details were released this morning.

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Posted by on 27 January

Negotiations to avert an HSR strike continue (2000hrs 27 Jan 12)

Negotiations between the City of Hamilton and the union representing HSR bus drivers, mechanics, and support staff continues at this hours.

I must nap before working a night shift.

CHCH’s Brittany Gogo is at the hotel where negotiations are occurring and promises to update on Twitter if any deal is reached.

Her latest tweet at 1927hrs:

Just spoke to the union for HSR drivers... They are continuing to negotiate tonight and into weekend if they can't reach a deal
January 27, 2012 8:27 pm via Twitter for BlackBerry®ReplyRetweetFavorite
@BrittanyGogo
Brittany Gogo

You can find her on Twitter: @BrittanyGogo

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Posted by on 27 January

Should I buy a HSR bus pass with a labour disruption looming?

I asked the City of Hamilton:

Does the City have a plan in place for purchasers of transit passes in the event of a labour disruption?

More directly, can people purchase their February pass now instead of waiting until the results of negotiations are clear.

The City responded:

The City remains hopeful that a negotiated settlement can be reached at the bargaining table today. It is too premature to speculate about what the exchange/refund policy would be in the event of a labour disruption as it would depend on the length of the disruption and other factors. We encourage HSR customers to watch local news reports and visit www.hamilton.ca for updates.

At this time, there is no reason why customers should not purchase their February pass now.

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Posted by on 27 January

HSR bus drivers optimistic as strike deadline looms

Hamilton public transit drivers are showing optimism as a strike deadline of Monday looms. Talking to senior bus operators the past two days, there is a belief that a strike will be averted.

I’m told, and the union will not confirm due to a media blackout, that 5 of 12 outstanding issues were settled on Tuesday and the remaining issues are “minor.”

To quote two senior drivers: ‘There’s no way we’ll strike over these [outstanding] issues.’

The negotiating teams for the city and union are meeting again today (Friday) and we should know if a strike will be averted when both parties issue statements tonight.

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Posted by on 25 January

HSR Labour Negotiations – as of January 26, 2011

Negotiations continue between the City of Hamilton and it’s transit operators, mechanics, and support staff. The city tabled a revised offer to the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 107 on Tuesday and both parties agreed to meet again on Friday.

The earliest a strike (and theoretically a lockout) can begin at 12:01 a.m. on Monday.
(Explanation why 12:01 a.m. doesn’t mean service ends at midnight)

Both sides issued statements yesterday and did not speak to the media.

I’m working night shift this weekend, backfilling for a friend, and will do my best to report developments.

The full statements follow:

Budh Dhillon, president of Local 107, wrote:

Negotiations with the City ended today. Some of the outstanding Articles were addressed however none of them were signed off. The negotiations will resume on Friday, January 27, 2012.

The Executive Board is asking all the members to continue to stay patient and continue to provide the best service to our passengers.

We will keep you informed while we remain committed to getting a fair deal.

In Solidarity on behalf of your Neg. Team:

Budh Dhillon

Kelly Anderson, public affairs coordinator for the public works department, issued the following statement on behalf of the city:

The City of Hamilton and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 107 met again today, with the assistance of a provincially appointed conciliator/mediator, and continued discussions towards reaching a collective agreement. The City tabled a revised offer to the union and both parties have agreed to meet again on Friday, January 27th.

“The City remains optimistic that we will reach an agreement on Friday,” said Gerry Davis, General Manager of Public Works for the City of Hamilton.

The two parties will be in a legal strike/lockout position at 12:01 a.m. on January 30th. ATU Local 107 represents HSR bus operators, mechanics and other transit workers.

In the event of a labour disruption, there would be no HSR transit service on any route throughout the city. HSR customers are encouraged to start considering alternative transportation options, such as:

Car pooling with neighbours or co-workers. Visit www.smartcommutehamilton.ca for more information about Hamilton’s Carpool Zone program – a free carpool matching system.
Walking, cycling
Working from home if possible

The Disabled and Aged Regional Transportation System (DARTS), the accessible transit service provider for the City, is not part of ATU. In the event of a labour disruption, DARTS’ delivery of the specialized transit service would not be affected. Existing subscription trips, as well as currently booked casual trips, will remain in place. However, there may be some changes required to the way that passengers book trips for DARTS. These changes will be communicated to passengers in advance of any requirements through the ATS phone service, the City of Hamilton Web site, and through other public announcements.

New developments throughout the negotiation process will be shared as they become available.

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Posted by on 25 January

Would a HSR strike start at 12:01 a.m.?

Hamilton’s public bus drivers, mechanics, and support workers are in a legal strike position at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, January 30th.

This doesn’t mean a strike will begin at 12:01 a.m.

Traditionally, HSR operators end their shift that begins the calendar day before a labour action.

There are many practical reasons, including calculation of pay and public goodwill, that service is not abruptly interrupted. Hamilton’s transit operations end just after 1 a.m. for Sunday service (25:00hrs on HSR logs) and 2 a.m. Monday-Saturday.

Last buses leave downtown at 12:00 a.m. Sunday night and 1:20 a.m. all other days with the last buses being Stoney Creek routes that wait for the last King bus at Eastgate Square.

Ending service at midnight would cause administrative headaches in calculating driver pay and shift premiums. It also risks confrontations between operators and passengers they be asking to leave the bus in mid-service.

In the event of a HSR strike, you don’t have to worry about being stranded mid-route. You’ll only need to worry about getting to work in the morning.

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Posted by on 24 January

Watching: HSR negotiations today (Jan 24 2012)

The City of Hamilton and the union representing transit operators, mechanics and administrative support staff will meet at the negotiating table later today.

The two sides are apart on few issues and talks could go into the evening.

There’s no way of reading into the status of talks by their length. A late evening could equally mean they are close to a deal or they are far apart.

I’m expecting statements from both the union and city tonight.

I’ll tweet and post as soon as I recieve anything.

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Posted by on 14 January

Update on HSR labour negotiations: Strike Mandate Vote tomorrow

One lesson I’ve learned covering labour negotiations and strikes is nothing is predictable. All individuals involved, on both sides, have their own motivations and desires that guide how they act. Some are rational, others are not. Some rational goals lead to irrational decisions, and many seemingly rational strategic decisions become irrational upon encountering an irrational decision by the other side.

Hence, we can’t make any assumptions about what will happen.

Here’s where things stand today:

  • The ‘no-board’ report released by the Ministry of Labour does allow for a labour disruption at 12:01 a.m. on January 30th. It doesn’t necessitate that it will. (Traditionally, a labour disruption at the HSR begins at the end of service, meaning the 1:20 a.m. last buses will run and once they completed their last run, the disruption will begin.)
  • Members of the union, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 107, will vote for or against a strike mandate tomorrow.
  • The two sides are back at the bargaining table on January 24th.

The stakes are seemingly high for both sides and, much like a game of Poker, the outcome will depend on how the sides play their cards. Is the Union bluffing about a possible strike? Is the City ready to hold to a wage freeze for two years and one percent each year afterwards in a four-year contract? Will the City allow for a protracted bus strike like they did in 97/98?

Speaking with union members, including executives, this week, I heard one consistent grievance – ‘the City claims it can’t afford a pay raise of even $50/year for HSR worker which would cost $30,000 a year; yet the City has the money to afford a $30,000 pay raise for the Mayor’s Chief of Staff.’

The funds for the pay raise came from the Mayor’s budget, and despite City Council’s opposition, not the general budget.  Regardless, this is a real grievance that won’t go away. The pay raise struck a chord with the public, and the union will look to channel that discontent into public support for their side against City Hall.

Another factor will be the weather – maybe the single most important – if it looks like February will be a tough winter month, the union may see this as an opportunity to strike with the hope Council responds quickly to the disruption compared to a strike in spring.

There is no reason to state a strike is imminent, but there is equally no reason to state it won’t.

The people around the negotiating table will decide the course of events. The rest of us – we’re onboard for the ride and don’t get to decide where the bus stops

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Posted by on 13 January

City of Hamilton News Release: update on bargaining with ATU 107 (HSR Bus Drivers)

The following news release was issued by the City of Hamilton at 13:02EST today by Kelly Anderson, Public Affairs Coordinator, Public Works Department

HAMILTON, ON – January 13, 2012 – The City of Hamilton remains hopeful that a negotiated settlement can be reached at the bargaining table with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 107 which represents HSR bus operators, mechanics and other transit workers.  The Disabled and Aged Regional Transportation System (DARTS), the accessible transit service provider for the City, is not part of ATU. 

The two parties have been bargaining for several months and a provincially appointed conciliation officer met with both parties on January 3rd, 2012.  Today, the Ontario Minister of Labour has released what is commonly referred to as a ‘no-board’ report. The issuance of this notice starts the timelines for a legal strike or lockout that is permitted upon the 17th day from the date of its issue. This means that the parties will be in a legal strike/lockout position at 12:01 a.m. on January 30th.

“We are scheduled to meet with the union again on January 24th and remain optimistic that an agreement can be reached,” said Gerry Davis, General Manager of Public Works. 

Regular updates will be provided as negotiations continue and details about service impacts will be communicated extensively before a potential labour disruption occurs.

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Posted by on 09 January

Update on HSR labour negotiations: Strike vote Sunday

The negotiations between the City of Hamilton and its public transit operators represented by the Amalgamated Transit Unit Local 107 remain stalled – a stalemate.

There is no substantive movement in the negotiations – bus drivers have been without a contract since the beginning of 2011 – as neither side is able to force the hand of the other.

According to the union, the city is offering a four-year contract with a two year wage freeze and two years of one per cent increases thereafter.

Strike vote Sunday does not mean imminent strike

The union is conducting a strike vote on Sunday, January 15. The Union hopes a strike mandate will give it additional strength at the negotiating table.

A strike is not imminent. It is being discussed by some drivers, other drivers remember the last HSR strike during the winter of 1997/98 that lasted 90 days during a tough winter and ended in victory for the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth.

The shock and memory of the 90-day strike during the 1997/8 winter

The regional municipality, lead by Regional Chair Terry Cooke, shocked many observers by allowing for a protracted winter strike and holding steady for three months in their position until City of Hamilton Alderman and the Mayor reacted to a public outcry. Even then, the concessions given to the union were small and the costs recovered from regional savings resulting from the strike.

The ATU assumed, from past experience, a strike would only last two weeks before the regional municipality would grant concessions and a settlement reached. The region saw the negotiations with the ATU as a proxy battle with the much larger CUPE local representing other regional workers.

The ATU contract was first to expire and the region took a hard stand against the ATU knowing that a bus strike would have less political consequence than a strike by regional workers closing numerous municipal services.

The region felt it couldn’t give an inch to the ATU if it wanted to hold the line in talks to follow with CUPE.

After winning the 90 day strike, the region took its strengthened position to the table against CUPE and achieved their goals in those negotiations as well.

It took years for some HSR bus drivers to recover from losing wages during the strike. The memories of the hardship of a long strike stuck with HSR operators for many years. It is one of the reasons HSR drivers have worked the past year without a contract and avoided a strike vote until this time.

Why a strike vote now?

Having spoke with many members of the union this past week; they are frustrated. There is an uncertainty to working without a contract and they are watching as senior bureaucrats at City Hall – especially those on the sunshine list making more than $100,000 – continue to see significant pay increases while they – the workers – are expected to accept a pay freeze.

The recent decision of Mayor Bratina to raise the salary of his chief of staff is often cited as an example of the disconnect between the top ranks of City Hall and the front-line worker.

There are union members who believe Council will quickly act to end a February strike, but worry about a “mild winter” resulting in a longer strike. If the union doesn’t receive a strike mandate Sunday, these members worry they’ll be working without a contract for another year.

One of the goals of  strike vote is to draw public attention to the negotiations and place pressure on City Council to reach a settlement before a strike becomes a serious possibility.

How far are the City and Union apart?

Both negotiating teams are maintaining a media blackout on the negotiations themselves. The union has briefed it’s members and the message from the union to its membership is that 0-0-1-1 is acceptable if the City gives bus drivers the same benefit package as CUPE members.

The CUPE package is more generous than the ATU package.

Senior city negotiators and staff briefed City Council behind closed doors this morning. It is unknown what the briefing contained. What is known is that no decisions were made by Council during the in-camera session.

What’s next? Should I be arranging alternative transit?

The negotiations are now being assisted by a conciliator. The earliest possible date for a strike is the second week of February as the union would need to seek a No Board report from the conciliator and the Minister of Labour must issue the “No Board” letter. This can only happen after at least one negotiating session following the strike vote. Once the letter is issued, a 17 day period must pass before a strike can begin.

There is no reason to expect or prepare for a strike at this time.

A request for comment was sent to the City. I’ll update with a statement as soon as it is received

The City of Hamilton issued the following statement on January 11th:

[quote_box author="Kelly Anderson, " profession="Public Affairs Coordinator, Public Works Department, City of Hamilton "]
The City of Hamilton is currently in negotiations with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), which represents HSR bus operators, mechanics and other transit workers. The Disabled and Aged Regional Transportation System (DARTS), the accessible transit service provider for the City, is not part of ATU.

The City remains hopeful that a negotiated settlement can be reached at the bargaining table.

Regular updates will be provided as negotiations continue and details about service impacts will be communicated extensively before a potential labour disruption occurs.
[/quote_box]

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