Fired city workers are back on the job

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They were fired two years ago for allegedly not doing their job, but today, most of the 29 City of Hamilton road workers are back on the job. The workers were reinstated, following a lengthy and costly arbitration process. The 29 unionized Public Works employees were fired for what the city claimed was theft of time – spending more time running personal errands than doing their job. The firings were grieved and two years later, an arbitrator ruled in favour of reinstating most of the workers.

“If this was the private sector they would not be coming back to work” said Hamilton City Councillor Sam Merulla.

Of the 29 originally let go, 7 were immediately reinstated, 9 are returning with no retroactive pay. 5 will receive either half or full retroactive pay, and one case is still being settled.

All of the reinstated workers will have a 30 day suspension on their employee record. “To side with them rather than us is really another form of downloading by the province. We are a creature of the province and we continue to get victimized by them.”

A spokesperson for CUPE local 5167 said although they are pleased most of their members will be returning to work, they are disappointed that six will not. They also said that for two years the workers suffered emotionally mentally and financially because of the false allegations.