School Bus Drivers in Maine Vote in Teamsters Local 340

[billyoc]

Way up in Ellsworth, Maine some 62 workers driving school buses for Laidlaw work without a sense of security in their current “at-will” status. With the advent of a potential merge with First Student, a private school bus company that has earned a reputation of being anti-union; the drivers voted 2 to 1 to join Teamsters Local 340.

“I was a teamster for 10 years and we had a process, security and long-term benefits. That is what we need here now,” said driver Casey Pitchford.

According to the Teamsters, this victory is part of an effort to organize private school bus drivers across the country. Driving Up Standards is a national campaign by the Teamsters, SEIU and the Transport and General Workers’ Union to improve safety, service and work standards in the private school industry.

While the drivers’ primary motivation to join the Teamsters is job security, in a statement released by the union, it appears it isn’t the only thing on their minds. “We need backing with a lot of things. We need reasonable wages, fairness and for seniority to be recognized with bids,” said driver Amy Hewes. “We need help, and the Teamsters have already shown us they can do this. We need to form our union,” she added.

http://unionreview.com/school-bus-drivers-maine-vote-teamsters-local-340