Most Hamilton councillors support halting mandatory COVID-19 vaccines for city workers

A policy that requires municipal employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or be fired as of June 1, is halfway to being paused.

Hamilton’s general issues committee voted 6-4 to suspend the policy, setting up a final vote by city council next Wednesday.

Lora Fontana, general manager of human resources, recommended the freeze. “I think the requirement to have all of our employees fully vaccinated isn’t one that will be supported from a legal perspective.”

She added that the policy changes are in-line with provincial directives.

Councillors were told, during a meeting on Wednesday, that 94 per cent of Hamilton’s more than 7,000 municipal employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

A decision to halt the mandatory vaccination policy would benefit the remaining six per cent, about 500 staffers.

Most of those employees, about 440, have been participating in twice-weekly rapid antigen testing since the vaccination policy was enacted by city council last summer.

Sixty-four staffers refused testing and were placed on unpaid leave of absence. They could return to work starting the week of May 2.

Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger, prior to Wednesday’s vote, said he takes “umbrage” with pausing the mandatory vaccination policy.

“In some measure, I see this as a reward for not having done what everyone else actually did to help protect our community, our fellow employees, and our city,” Eisenberger said.

by 900 CHML