Concerns rise as Grey Cup nears, HSR strike continues

With the Grey Cup trophy in Hamilton and players arriving, there are still big questions about fans and how they’re going to get around during the football festivities.

The city says it contacted the striking bus union on Monday but there’s no word of any progress, and the union is making it clear they’re going to block any Grey Cup shuttle buses.

Day five of the strike and 880 HSR workers are still on the picket line. The union says the mood is upbeat.

“We’ve extended an invitation several times to sit down with the city and we’ve gotten no reply back,” said ATU Local President Eric Tuck.

On Tuesday, Tuck indicated that there was no word on any talks with the city.

The city said it asked the union Monday afternoon to return to negotiations, and the city manager indicated they’re ready to talk about all the issues, including the main issue of a wage increase.

“I think everything needs to be discussed. And I think at the end of the day we need to bring forward a recommendation to council for consideration,” said City Manager Carlyle Khan.

But the city’s head of human resources indicates the offer of more talks may be going nowhere.

READ MORE: Grey Cup festivities set to take over Hamilton throughout the week

“The wages at this point in time are the wages and they’re not changing,” said Lora Fontana. “We did reach out to them today and the response is as long as there’s no movement on the financial, specifically the wages, there is no interest in meeting with the employer.”

The union says it’s willing to move on wages, but there’s not point in meeting if the city’s not willing to move as well.

As the dispute goes on, strikers in downtown Hamilton were picketing the main bus terminal that HSR shares with GO. Leaving GO Transit to load its buses on the street.

And the union says it’ll take action if other buses, like shuttle buses try to operate in the city to move Grey Cup fans.

“Anywhere that they’re shuttling people within the city boundaries would be a concern for us and we’ll be looking hard at that,” said Tuck. “We’ve called on our friends throughout the labour movement to come to Hamilton to join ATU Local 107 to ensure that there is no scabs operating in the city on that day.”