The Toronto Transit Commission and the City of Toronto are among the latest employers to fire workers for not complying with a mandatory coronavirus vaccination policy.
In a press release, Marvin Alfred, president of the Amalgamated Transit Unit Local 113, said the TTC has fired several hundred workers for not receiving vaccines, noting the terminations and the TTC’s vaccine mandate are currently before an arbitrator. The TTC previously gave employees until Nov. 20, 2021, to receive two vaccine doses and confirm their vaccination status or face termination by Dec. 31, 2021.
Read: ‘Significant’ wave of terminations coming due to workplace vaccine mandates: lawyer
Meanwhile, the City of Toronto terminated employment for 461 workers who didn’t receive a vaccine or failed to disclose their vaccination status ahead of Jan. 2, 2022.
In addition, as of Jan. 5, 2022, 37 City employees were on temporary leave awaiting a decision on their accommodation requests. In addition, 248 employees reported receiving one dose of a vaccine and are subject to immediate termination if they haven’t received or booked a second shot ahead of an upcoming vaccination status meeting, according to a press release.
It noted 32,478 employees — 98.6 per cent of the City’s active workforce — have reported that they’re fully vaccinated following the implementation of a vaccine policy in August 2021.
Last week, Federal Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said jobless Canadians who refuse to get vaccinated may find themselves blocked from benefits as long as public health concerns remain top of mind.
Read: Majority of City of Toronto staff have received the coronavirus vaccine