Hamilton water workers ratify tentative agreement with city

Justin Chandler · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 10, 2025 9:19 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 10

The astir three-month onslaught betwixt Hamilton h2o workers and the city ended Monday erstwhile the national and leader reached a tentative agreement. On Wednesday, workers ratified that deal.

The statement volition spell earlier metropolis assembly for support connected July 16, the metropolis said connected its website Wednesday. 

Greg Hoath, concern manager with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 772, told CBC Hamilton Tuesday helium hoped members would o.k. the deal.

Water workers took to the picket line May 14 after negotiations with the metropolis fell through. The workers, who oversee the h2o purifying process arsenic good arsenic the discharge of discarded water, said they wanted to code decades-old concerns. One was the magnitude of clip it takes to scope their apical wage complaint done on-the-job training. The different was a wage spread that near immoderate members earning astir $4 little per hr than different radical of workers with less certifications, workers told CBC Hamilton. 

On Tuesday, Hoath said that portion helium could not disclose what's successful the tentative agreement, it's "improved from the erstwhile presumption of the city."

"This labour disruption was truly implicit 1 contented of wage equity oregon parity," helium said. "We are astatine slightest going to person the accidental to code that question and person it answered erstwhile and for all."

Mayor Andrea Horwath said Tuesday the "deal reflects our city's committedness to fairness, fiscal work and respect for our workers."

Both sides accidental acceptable to instrumentality to enactment contempt tense strike

Hoath acknowledged a "fractious" narration betwixt strikers and the city. Workers disrupted assembly meetings and Hoath said the metropolis threatened the union, calling their picketing extracurricular transit facilities unlawful. 

However, helium said members won't fto hard feelings impact their instrumentality to work.

"They volition spell backmost to enactment and bash their job. This is h2o and discarded water. We're not going to play astir with thing arsenic important arsenic those services for the public," Hoath said.

City manager Marnie Cluckie shared a akin sentiment successful an email to CBC Hamilton Tuesday, saying the employer values the workers and "remains committed to fostering a positive, respectful, and collaborative moving relationship."

Two different groups of strikers successful Hamilton also precocious reached deals:

• Members of the Ontario Compensation Employees Union who were connected onslaught but the workers with Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board approved a tentative statement Monday. They had been picketing since May 22. 
• Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2073 members voted to ratify a caller corporate statement with Canadian Hearing Services. They had been connected onslaught since April 28.