8,000 NYC school bus drivers, matrons go on strike

[The Straight Story]

8,000 NYC school bus drivers, matrons go on strike; 152,000 students seek other ways to get to school

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 8,000 New York City school bus drivers and matrons went on strike over job protection Wednesday morning, leaving some 152,000 students, many disabled, trying to find other ways to get to school.

Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said the strike started at 6 a.m. Wednesday. About 100 bus drivers and bus matrons were assembled on picket lines in the Queens section of the city.

Most of the city's roughly 1.1 million public school students take public transportation or walk to school.

Those who rely on the buses include 54,000 special education students and others who live far from schools or transportation.

Parents have made plans to use subways, carpools and other alternatives.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nyc-parents-prepare-bus-strike

[Sherman A1]

1. I hope this is resolved quickly

and in a mutually agreeable manner.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. This is a complex situation

The buses are run by private companies already. No public employee jobs are at risk.

The contracts which run out with the school year are going to be put up for competitive bids. Because of that, the unions went out against the private companies.

I am amazed that contracts worth that much were not competitively bid already, but then again, its NY.

Bloomberg is supporting this...figures.